Chimera
by kittsbud
Summary: Clark, Chloe and Lex find they're in big trouble after a plane flight goes bizzarely wrong...COMPLETED
1. Default Chapter

**Chimera**

Clark looked over at the sleek white form of the Luthorcorp jet and sighed. The aircraft was brand new- even the company insignia had yet to be painted on its bullet shaped fuselage, and yet he still felt trepidation at boarding it.

The purely natural sensation of flying he had discovered while under the influence of his biological father had done little to quell his fears of man-made flight. _Why do I still get butterflies even though I know nothing is going to happen to me? _Clark pulled a pained expression at no one in particular as he stuffed his hands in his blue jacket's pockets and ambled across to the Learjet.

"Still afraid of taking to the skies?" Chloe smirked playfully and wrapped a hand around his forearm as they approached the plane together, "I really thought you'd gotten over that. I mean a guy like _you_…" She bit her lip and let the words hang in mid air.

Ever since Alicia Baker's little revelation about Clark's abilities she'd been letting small comments slip out. It wasn't a voluntary thing- the words just popped out of her mouth before she actually engaged her brain.

Clark scowled but didn't appear to take in the third implication that day that he was anything but 'normal'.

"I just think if we were meant to be up in the heavens we'd have been given the ability to do it without sitting in a hunk of metal that barely defies gravity." He took hold of the rail on the Learjet's steps and quickly clambered aboard before he changed his mind.

It had been a strange weekend in Metropolis for them both. They'd spent two days visiting a technology seminar for students set up by Luthorcorp. If it hadn't been for Lex's insistent offer for them to join him on the plane ride home, Clark would have happily taken the bus.

"Ah, the two wanderers finally made it!" Lex was already seated comfortably at the rear of the cabin, and smiled cheekily as they entered his aircraft's luxurious interior.

He held a bottle of Tynant water in one hand and gestured with the other for his guests to take a seat.

Clark glanced around, feeling somewhat out of place in his jeans and plaid. The internal trappings could have come straight out of Airforce One- not that Clark had ever had the pleasure of riding in that particular aircraft.

"You um don't bring lots of teenage guests on board here do you?" Clark grinned a little as he noted Lex's extensive drinks cabinet.

Lex returned a wry smile of his own, "Just the ones I can trust not to sample my liquor collection." The millionaire pressed a small button embedded in his seat's armrest, "Richard, we're all set."

A disembodied voice echoed back through a concealed speaker in the cabin, "Understood, Mr. Luthor. The tower reports clear skies and a light tail wind. I'll have you home in no time, Sir."

The metal steps creaked slightly as they retracted automatically into the fuselage door and it swung closed with a hydraulic hiss. Clark reflexively grabbed his seat. He'd travelled on the old Luthorcorp jet all the way to China with Lana, and he knew once they'd taken off he'd be fine. It was just the gut-wrenching feeling he had when the wheels locked up and the plane left the ground that made him feel nauseous.

Chloe sympathized. "I once had the same problem with water. Dad never got over not having a son, so he tried taking me fishing for two whole summers before he realized I got sea sick just looking at the boat!"

"But you overcame your fear?" Lex prompted.

"Kind of," Chloe couldn't help but tease, "I found it better if I avoided the boat, the water, _and_ the fishing!" She shrugged, "I mean come on, ace reporter Sullivan with a fishing line? No way!"

The mirth in her eyes made even Clark relax a little and he settled back into his seat. Maybe a short nap while they travelled home might be a good idea. He knew Chloe had a million reporter questions to bombard Lex with while she held a captive audience, and he really didn't want to be the one in the middle. When Chloe sank her teeth in, she rarely let go.

"So, what can you tell me about your new research facility at Luthorcorp? Is it more meteor rock testing…?"

Clark lets the barrage of words from Chloe slowly fade into his subconscious as he drifted off to sleep. His head nuzzled against the soft leather seat and he was soon floating on a cotton-like substance- were they clouds? The dream was a comforting one, and he had no idea how long its peaceful bliss lasted. Time could be so deceiving when you were deep in slumber.

The first indication that something was wrong came in a bright and glaring flash. One minute he was among the imaginary, heavenly clouds, the next he was coming too with a start in the now rocking cabin.

Chloe was at his side, digging her hands and nails into the leather of her seat until a small tear appeared. "Clark!" She almost screamed his name, and the stark reality of the situation hit home.

Something was gravely wrong with Luthorcorp's newest airborne acquisition, and it wasn't just turbulence.

Clark's eyes widened as he pulled his body upright despite the Learjet's insane rocking.

"What happened?" He could hear the words coming from his mouth and realized that common sense was taking over from his well founded fears about artificial flight.

Chloe gulped and still clung to her seat like a limpet, "Lex and I were talking meteor rocks when there was this blinding flash of light," She grimaced at the memory, and as the plane's whole frame juddered she struggled to form coherent words, "The flash was so intense we were engulfed in it…and then…then the plane started going down!"

Clark could see Chloe was panicking. The jet was obviously in trouble, but from their angle in comparison with the horizon he didn't think they were going to slam into the ground anytime soon. The engines seemed to be making an unnatural whining noise that his sensitive ears had detected the moment he had been yanked awake, but that too was better than an out and out stall.

Clark stumbled from his lavish chair as they hit a huge air pocket, and he grabbed the side of Chloe's seat to keep his balance. He leaned over her reassuringly, trying to appear calmer than his stomach actually felt. "Chloe, listen, I need to know where Lex is?"

Chloe dared to lift a hand and point to the crew cabin. "He thought the jet was out of control. He went up front to check on the pilot…" She guessed Clark's next intention and decided she didn't want to be left alone, "Don't you dare leave me alone in this Twilight Zone, Kent!"

"Chloe, it's safer if you stay seated," Clark was shouting above the intense high pitched engine noise now, but to prove his point he took hold of the safety straps and buckled Chloe in. "I'll be right back, I promise!"

Clark turned away quickly, knowing Chloe would protest if he gave her half the chance. He'd never seen her scared like this before- well, only once when she'd finally known the terrible truth about her mother. _Hold on, Chloe. We're going to get through this!_

The jet seemed to veer to the left sharply as Clark reached the cockpit area door. He leaned with the pitching and steadied his body by bracing himself in the open doorway until the sideways dive abated.

"Lex!" Clark pushed forward until he was in the pilot's cabin with a view of the earth below.

Lex was in the co-pilot's seat struggling with the overly heavy controls. The yoke was rigid in his hands and his knuckles were white with exertion at trying to pull it back. In the pilot's seat, Richard was slumped back, cradling his head as if he had the migraine of the century. Red streaky tears spilled down his face, and when Clark took a closer look he realized the pilot's eyes looked eerily blank_. He's blind! _

"Can you get him into the back?" Lex glanced over his shoulder at the swinging door to the passenger compartment, "I could do with some help with the controls. She's too heavy for me to handle on my own. It feels like the hydraulics aren't working correctly…"

The Learjet bucked wildly and then settled again as another gigantic air current battered it. Most of the electronic gauges flashed erratically on the instrument panel, and the electronic altimeter appeared to spew out random readings as if it had been confused by some inexplicable event.

Clark wanted to know just what had happened to cause such a phenomenon, but for now the questions could wait. Careful to keep his footing on the shaking deck plate, the teenager quickly unbuckled the pilot's harness and gently grabbed him under each arm. He moaned softly as Clark pulled him backwards and settled him in the first seat in the back.

"The light…it was so bright…just like flying into the sun…" Richard seemed to be incoherent.

_Maybe it's shock? Maybe someone let off a nuclear weapon!_ All kinds of thoughts and fears came to Clark's mind, _Electro magnetic pulses can bring a plane down…and that would explain the bright blinding light…_ "Everything will be alright. Lex will get the plane down and we'll get you to a hospital." While he talked, the teen strapped the pilot back in, because their landing might just be a bumpy one.

Once he was sure Richard was as safe and comfortable as possible he ducked back into the cockpit. Every fibre of his being wanted to check on Chloe first, but Lex was in need of help at the controls or they all might die.

Clark slid behind the pilot's yoke and looked to his long time friend for directions. He may have super powers, but he had no clue how to fly a plane.

Lex dared to take a hand from his own yoke and adjusted the two center throttles to try and keep them from stalling, "Pull back on the yoke until we can get the compass horizon line level…"

Clark glanced around. Amid all the computer controlled instruments there was an old fashioned altimeter than didn't rely on so much technology. It appeared to be working and was indicating they were on a downward path. He nodded he understood and drew back his controls as quickly as he dared without showing Lex he had untold strength. Even to Clark the resistance from the aircraft's systems was blatantly apparent.

As if to voice his fears, Lex looked across the cockpit with a grim expression. He had after all been through this twice before. "We have to land, Clark, and I don't mean at an airport…You might want to strap in."

Clark had expected as much but they were at least almost back home. They had plenty of reasonably soft cornfields to land in- he hoped. "What do I do?" The teen gulped and wondered somewhere deep down what he would have done if Lex hadn't been aboard.

"Just stay calm, and do everything I tell you…" Lex reduced the airspeed, "Help me lower our angle of descent just a little more and I can get the undercarriage down without stalling…"

Clark felt his mouth go dry. If he messed up now he'd live, but three others would die. Gradually, he forced the yoke forward until the artificial horizon showed the correct angle. Lex nodded, beads of perspiration forming on his bald cranium. He pulled back a short lever and hit a yellow button and the plane juddered as its wheels began to lower.

Clark heard an unmistakable sigh of relief from his friend. _Lex thought the wheels weren't going to go down! _The respite was short lived. "Um, Lex, I don't mean to be negative but aren't those fields getting pretty big, pretty fast?"

Lex checked the altimeter and their speed. He even tapped the unit's glass fascia with his forefinger to make sure it wasn't stuck. "We can't be as high as that says…we're almost on top of those corn sheaves! I can almost see every ear…" The millionaire frowned as he stared at the Kansas earth and crops below, "This is going to sound ridiculous, but…"

"But we're about to land in a corn field the size of the United States!" Clark instinctively drew back on his controls as he finally accepted what they were seeing. The ground below hadn't suddenly become closer, it was simply a LOT bigger than they were expecting. "Lex, I don't think we should try and land in that!" The teen was no expert, but the size of the corn stalks in relation to their own minute dimensions meant it would be like ramming the jet into a building, not a field of crops.

Lex nodded and pulled back on his own yoke, trying desperately to skim over the top of the yellowing corn. A wingtip caught on an ear as it lashed in the breeze and the jet bounced like it had been hit with a giant baseball bat. The blow pushed it forward, but also downwards, and their fate was only saved by the fact that they were now at the edge of the crops.

Clark continued to try and control the spiralling jet, as did Lex, but it was a futile attempt given their position. The plane hit the furrowed perimeter of the next field and slid along the ground until it slammed into the next ridge of soil. The huge mound of damp earth repelled the tiny aircraft into the first few rows of corn and the front wheel gave way under the stress. The conical nose hit the nearest stalk and became an effective brake for the now battered little plane. Something hissed from the rear tail like steam, and as Lex moved his arms from over his face he thought he smelled the pungent aroma of aviation fuel.

"Clark?" Lex blinked and noted his left eye was blurred. He touched his forehead and realized he must have cut his head in the crash. Blood from it had seeped into his eye and was causing the problem. "Clark, are you alright?" He began unbuckling his harness with shaking hands.

"Never better…I think…" Clark looked around in a daze. _This can't be happening. I must still be asleep!_ He frowned at Lex, wondering if he dare ask the next question, "Am I dreaming, or did we just hurtle into a giant corn field?"

Lex's staid demeanour told Clark to get serious- fast. "You're not dreaming about the size of the corn, and I'm not imagining the smell of fuel. Come on, we have to get Richard and Chloe clear of the plane until we can check it out." The millionaire hopped from his seat and clambered through into the rear cabin. Even though their situation was ridiculous he was keeping his usual cool.

Clark was on his feet and following at his heels within the second. "Chloe!"

The young blonde stirred and squinted at the sound of her name. She winced when she moved her head one way, but after a brief moment decided she was reasonably in one piece. "Lex, where did you learn to fly?" She griped as Clark unfastened her belt, little knowing what was outside.

"No time for that now. We need to get off the jet. Lex thinks it might be leaking fuel." Clark hurried Chloe from her seat, keeping his arm wrapped around her trembling frame for support.

Chloe's brow creased as she was escorted to the door and Clark hit the emergency release lever. "Wait, where are the emergency services? Didn't we even make it back to the airport?"

Clark opened his mouth, but had no real explanation to give. Instead, he glanced back to see how Lex was doing with the pilot. The millionaire had the man's arm over his shoulder and was already struggling halfway down the aisle bearing his weight. Satisfied, Clark determined to let the outside world speak for its self. He pushed hard with his shoulder on the sticking door mechanism and after a momentary groan the metal gave way and slid down to form a step. Had he not been on board, they may have all been trapped due to the faltering hydraulics, but with Clark's abilities it was an easy fix- if only their over-sized surroundings could be remedied so easily.

The jet was at an angle with its nose firmly in the ground, and as Clark lowered Chloe down he noted they were at least camouflaged by a few metres of corn. He blinked, still not really able to take in the huge crops that towered above him. _Jack and the Beanstalk… _

Chloe had yet to look around and realize just where they had come to rest. She bounced down to the earthy floor and as Clark and Lex lowered the pilot she helped to steady him. Once they had all exited the jet and were at a safe distance, she finally took in that they had landed in a rather unusual location.

"Just what did you drop us in?" Chloe put her hands on her hips and her eyes bulged as she noted the immense tubular shafts that encircled them. She glanced skywards and eventually understood what she was looking at. "What is this, another Luthorcorp fertilizer project gone awry? How do you hide this stuff from people?"

Lex shook his head. They had just nearly died in some freak aviation accident, landed in a titanic sized batch of corn, and all that Chloe could think of was another Luthorcorp conspiracy theory. He was about to argue his company's case with a vehemence when he realized that in her way, Chloe had a point. _If Luthorcorp didn't cause this, what the hell did? Has dad been scheming behind my back again? _It might appear a dumb question to be thinking when the air was filled with gasoline fumes, but it was something they would sorely need to answer if they were to ever escape this place.

"Chloe, I hate to say this, but from the view I got from the cockpit, we're not just in a giant corn field…we're about the only _small_ things in Smallville!"

Both Lex and Chloe stopped glaring at one another and stared at the tall teen instead. He shrugged back. "It's not just this field that's bigger, everything looked huge. I'm not even sure we're in Kansas anymore…"

"Yeah, well click your heels Dorothy, because I don't intend spending a night in this nightmare!" Chloe was starting to get scared of what might go bump in the darkness of a vast sea of corn, and her snark was in full swing, "Did you guys ever see Honey I Shrunk the Kids? There could be giant insects out here, or worse!"

Lex rolled up his shirt sleeves. "Not exactly my kind of movie, but I take your point, and it's a well founded one. Whatever happened up there," He shot a glance beyond the lofty corn, "It only seems to have affected us. As of now, we're fair game to anything and everything. I suggest we start making an inventory and check the plane out."

Clark looked at the now scarred and blackened Luthorcorp jet as it lay nose first in the dirt. Even if they could repair and refuel it, how on earth could they get back home when they had no clue where home was anymore, or how they had even become so small?


	2. Chimera part 2

Chloe sat amongst the giant stalks of corn with the injured pilot, Richard. He'd said very little since they'd helped him from the plane, but then Chloe guessed anyone who had just lost their sight wouldn't exactly be conversationalist of the month.

"Maybe it's just temporary?" She offered consolingly as she watched Clark and Lex tentatively approach the jet to check it out. "I mean, your sight might come back in a few days…"

The pilot grunted and fumbled to loosen his tie. The thing they had flown into had been nothing like he had ever seen before- at least not for the brief moment before his optic nerves had been fried. It had some kind of glow to its edges, like a massive ball of energy that had opened up before the Learjet. "I don't think a nuclear blast could have been any brighter. Trust me, I know from my years in the Airforce."

Chloe gulped, "You think someone let off a weapon here in the United States?"

Richard huffed. He had no real idea what was going on, and had he been able to see his surroundings he'd have even less clues. "We were so close to Smallville some kind of police or emergency services should have been here by now, and yet I don't even hear a siren in the background." His head flinched as he strained again to hear any recognizable noise.

"I don't think anyone will be coming to rescue us anytime soon, but I'm not convinced it's because we're at war or there's been a terrorist strike. Something much stranger is going on here," Chloe bit her lip and scowled, searching the huge crops around her for signs of overly large insect life. She was more scared of that than nuclear fallout right now.

"What makes you say that?" Richard had detected the hint of fear in the teenage girl's voice, but couldn't fathom out why.

Chloe didn't know how to respond. _How can I tell him we're about two inches tall right now? _

Clark followed Lex back aboard the jet and looked around at the damage. The interior hadn't taken too much of a bashing, but he could still smell fuel. "Are we safe in here?" He asked while x-raying the fuselage for structural problems and anything else that he could spot.

Lex paused. "I don't think we have any electrical shorts that could ignite the fuel. If we can find the leak then maybe we can stop it." He rubbed a hand over his head and began pulling off several panels in the aft cabin. Finally, he seemed to find what he was looking for. "It's a jammed valve. The avionics have been dumping fuel for no good reason other than that!" The millionaire slammed the flat of his hand over the defective component, but the pressure alone didn't relieve the problem. "Damn, Clark, we have to stop this or every bit of reserve fuel we have will be gone. I'm going up from to try and switch to the backup controls. If they're still working that is…"

Without saying more, Lex jogged from the compartment back towards the cockpit. Clark watched him go, and then began scrutinizing the components within the open panelling. Lex's fist couldn't stop the fuel draining, but of course he could quite easily by welding the valve shut. He followed the pipes inside the aircraft's shell with his x-ray vision. In fact, if it didn't work in here, then he could always seal the fuel leak at several other junctions. _The question is will the heat from my eyes ignite this stuff?_

Clark thought about just bending the small pipe until the kink he caused cut off the fuel, but without tools Lex would definitely become suspicious.

"Clark, is anything happening?" Lex was shouting back from the pilot's area as he frantically toggled the jet's auxiliary electrical systems.

Clark grimaced. He didn't need his powers to see the valve wasn't closing. _I guess I'll just have to risk it! _With a small, concentrated blast of heat he melted the unit closed in a millisecond and then backed up, hoping the temperature hadn't caused them more problems. The superheated valve steamed a little but didn't combust. "I think the fuel's stopped." He said sheepishly, feeling guilty for his little subterfuge.

Lex sighed as he once again cut battery power, and nodded his thanks to whatever deity had helped them- little did he know the person was a lot closer than he could have imagined. He climbed back out from the pilot's seat and walked to meet Clark in the center of the passenger aisle feeling somewhat relieved they had achieved something.

The teen shrugged stuffing his hands in his jeans pocket as they met up. "Now what do we do? We stopped the leak, but we're hardly in any shape to take off again."

Lex agreed. "We need to start evaluating our situation, Clark, and we need to do it fast. We have two choices. Use what few resources we have to try and get back or to make things easier where we are right now…" The choices seemed stark even to Lex.

"You think we're stuck this size forever?" Clark's eyes dropped to the thick carpet flooring. Being super small was not on his list of things to do.

Lex nodded. "I don't know how it happened, but we have to accept that it's a distinct possibility. What I was referring to was our more immediate needs, however. For instance, our food, water, and heating supplies are all limited. Do we ration them and try to get this plane back in working order, or do we use the batteries and power for heating? If we're still in Kansas it can get pretty cold at night this time of year in exposed areas…"

Clark inhaled. He was a farmer's son; he didn't need telling what the elements could do to crops, animals and well, miniature humans. _Three miniature humans, one miniature alien,_ He corrected himself. "What do you suggest?" Lex was the only pilot they had left, and assessing the flying capability of the plane was more in his league. It made sense to give him the first call.

Lex looked around at the cabin and then back to where all their gear had been stashed. The Learjet had really only been made with businessmen in mind. Short business trips with little need for vast quantities of food supplies. "If we don't use power to keep the cabin heated we'll need to get all out coats and any blankets all together ready for nightfall. Perhaps we can make a small fire to keep warm outside, but tomorrow we'll need to go hunt up some food and anything we can use for tools," He turned to start work on making their makeshift quarters then shot Clark a look that spoke his inner thoughts. It was as if his soul had already been defeated, even though his mind hadn't given up.

_He thinks we don't have a chance! _Clark hadn't given up hope yet, but then he knew something Lex didn't. The most powerful tool they had was his unearthly gifts. He could pull the plane from its dirt covered grave and he could lift the nose while they attempted to repair the wheel. He could even clear a patch of earth to act as a runway in super quick time. The one thing he couldn't do though was pull food and fuel from thin air.

"I'll go search up some food tomorrow, Lex. I figure we need to find out where we are anyway, and if we really are in Smallville maybe I can get back to the farm…" Clark stopped as he realized even if this was Kansas, the home that he knew may not exist anymore. _What if mom and dad were killed by whatever hit us?_ His sudden wounded expression alerted Lex to his thoughts.

"I'm sure you're parents are fine, Clark. I think whatever affected us was because we flew unsuspectingly into it. Which of course begs the question, if we fix the plane, how do we get back to the phenomenon if it's still out there?" The millionaire tossed out several blankets from a storage compartment and then began making an inventory of what they had on his PDA. "If we could find the farm then perhaps we could get some help, though. I trust your father to help us a lot more than I trust my own. We'd probably be nothing more than some pint-sized lab experiment to him."

Clark looked through the food objects they had now piled in front of them. So far their stash consisted of half a crate of Tynant water, Lex's liquor collection, and some munchies Chloe had brought along because she was sure people like Lex didn't eat 'normal' snack food.

"I didn't know we where going to need supplies," Lex offered apologetically, "It's not every day I take an undersized safari."

Clark looked at his watch and then to the door. It would soon be getting dark and the soil where the fuel had leaked was still damp out where they'd soon be making camp. "I'll go cover up the spilled gas with some soil or something. If we make a fire we don't want any stray sparks turning the plane into a fireball."

Lex nodded and then continued on his own quest to gather what he could and make the inner cabin as cosy as possible as their impromptu shelter. The day had seemed to go by in a blur, but he was sure nightfall would bring an untold host of terrors if they weren't prepared.

The darkening Kansas sky appeared reasonably cloudless to Clark as he stood in the Learjet's doorway. Only a stray high altitude puff of white here and there spoiled the clear heavens. It was a surreal view from way below the soaring shafts of corn, made all the more poignant as it reminded him of home, of the loft, and the amazing view from it he had come to take for granted. _Will I ever see twilight that way again? _

Something screeched in the distance and the teen flinched. It was some kind of animal and it sounded in pain. He doubted if they would have even heard the noise had they been their own size, but right now they could be some predator's next meal, just like the creature he had just heard wail.

To intensify his own fears, Chloe joined him at the door and entwined her arm around his. Her grip was tight as if she thought his touch alone would protect her from the unseen monster. "Wha…what was that?" The normally sturdy reporter's voice quivered ever-so- slightly.

"Just the usual sounds of the night, nothing to worry about." Clark turned and smiled reassuringly. He didn't add that he'd just glimpsed something stalking in the corn in the distance. It had been a brief shadowy sighting, but it had looked like a cat of some kind- probably after a field mouse. "C'mon, let's go inside and see what snacks you packed. I'm starving," Gently, he ushered her away from the door and any chance of seeing anything to scare her more. Hopefully, inside the jet they would be relatively safe.

Chloe didn't need to take the hint twice, although she still refused to release her grip on his forearm until they joined Lex and the pilot. Lex had already shared out their rations in equal amounts and had managed to find a blanket each too.

Clark wrapped the thick red drape affectionately around Chloe's shoulders. "Warm enough?"

"Yeah, but I wish I'd been more inventive with my stash of munchies," She gestured to what little lay before them, "Pringles, pretzels and crackers don't really set my taste buds on fire, ya know?"

"Better to have the food than _be_ the food…" Richard sat near a window, and even though he couldn't see outside with his opaline looking irises, the three people with him suddenly felt a cold chill in the cabin. It was just like some creepy scene from a ghost movie, made even more unsettling by the fact that the moon chose the exact moment to break through a high stratus cloud and illuminate their bleak unlit compartment.

Chloe shuddered, "You know, maybe we should use a little battery power for the lights after all…" She tugged her blanket closer to her body and shot Clark and Lex a pleading glance that said she was more than begging.

Clark pulled his own red blanket back and swathed Chloe in it, "We have to save the batteries. We can't restart the engines without them…"

"Like you think you're going somewhere, Kid?" It was the pilot again, "I've been listening to what's been going on. Just because I'm blind doesn't make me deaf." He hunched forward and the white, barren appearance to his eyes made even Clark flinch, "We'll be like lambs to the slaughter to an abundance of creatures out there. It might not happen tonight, but it will happen. Think about it…chewed up and spat out by some wild animal or bird like you were an insect! Heck, I'd rather have died on the plane…"

"Shut up, Richard, I've heard enough." Lex barked angrily at his employee, "Don't you realize you're scaring Chloe?"

Richard grinned and sat back in his seat. "I'm just simply stating the facts boss. We're all going to die and some day a kid will come along and find this wreck and think it was a toy. Even your money can't save you here…" The pilot rested his head against the cold glass of the window, "Death's already coming. Can't you hear it?"

Lex was about to tell Richard to hush up or pay the consequences when Clark held his hand aloft and a look of concentration crossed his young features, "He's right, I hear something…"

In the rush for food, Clark had never once thought to keep his ears in anything but a normal state of auditory awareness. Now, he realized that could have been a mistake. Something was making a deep droning noise not too far away outside. It was like something vibrating on a very low level, and it was getting louder as if the cause was getting nearer. _The animal I saw out there… _

Chloe spotted the source first through the cockpit cabin window, and although she really wanted to warn the others, the only noise she eventually managed was a scream that came out more of a croak.

Clark jumped from his seat and scrambled forward when any sane person would have backed up. He could see the two beady feline eyes searching the aircraft for prey even though it was in darkness. Perhaps the cat had somehow smelled their human odour and come to investigate how something so small could indeed normally be the master that sat at the top of the food chain.

"Clark, get back!" Lex was now running down the aisle after him, and as the millionaire entered the crew cabin he began fumbling with a locked compartment at the side of the pilot's seat.

Clark ignored his friend and kept his eyes trained on the animal outside. Its pupil's shrank as its eyes became mere slits to investigate the plane further. From the way the cat's shoulders were hunched, the teen guessed it would pounce pretty soon, and that meant the plane and its contents would take another battering. _Boy, how I wish Shelby was here right now!_

The Tabby cat seemed to sense Clark's negative thoughts. Or at least that was the way it appeared, because the overly fat feline cuffed the front of the jet with its left paw several times as if it were playing with a ball of wool.

The tiny figures inside tumbled from side to side and the motion seemed to fascinate it more. The cat's eyes danced from Clark to Lex as they were both jarred sideways. It tried again, this time extending its claws and scratching a deep groove in the Learjet's already blemished paintwork.

Lex pulled himself up, straining against the rocking motion until his hand reached into the now open compartment he'd been fumbling with.

Clark spotted what his friend was reaching for and shook his head frantically. "Lex no! You can't fire a gun in here. If you smash the windscreen we can't take off!" The teen made a dive for the rear cabin as the cat made another swipe at them and then hissed at the jet for not giving up its contents. "Besides, you can't shoot a giant cat with that…" His voice trailed as he headed towards the tail end of the jet.

While Clark scrambled to the back, Lex found himself tossed to the floor yet again as the Tabby pounced on the nose of the aircraft. The cat was bored with simply clawing its enemy and was now going for the kill. "Clark, what do you think you're doing?" He yelled over the top of more squeals from Chloe, but there was no response and he couldn't seem to gain his footing long enough to follow.

Clark glanced back once, afraid that Lex might try to go after him. Luckily, the millionaire appeared to have enough on his hands trying to get to his feet. The teen pushed on until he found what he was looking for- emergency flares that he'd spotted on his earlier 'x-ray' sweep of the aircraft. Grabbing several he ran to the door, struggling to keep his balance under the feline onslaught.

"Clark!" Chloe had seen his suicidal run for the door and had put herself on an intercept course. She caught his arm by the doorway, "Not even _you_ can fight that thing! It's the King Kong of cats!" The reporter's grim face showed the concern she was feeling, but it was they way she had said the sentence that made him stop in his tracks.

Clark's brow furrowed and a brief look of comprehension crossed his normally unsuspecting features, then he smiled slightly. "I don't want to hurt or fight it, Chloe. It's a cat's nature to hunt. I just want to scare it off…"

Chloe wanted to thump him and tell him just how dumb he sounded, but she realized in that moment the true depths of his character, and just how far he would go to protect innocent lives. Their lives and the cat's. "Clark!" She shouted his name one more time as he scooted through the door, but she already knew he would ignore her.

Clark jumped from the plane without using the inbuilt steps. He had to be careful because Lex could be out any moment too, but then if he had to reveal his powers to save everyone he would without a doubt.

The cat froze as he supersped towards it, the whooshing motion he produced causing its pointy ears to prick back a touch. The Tabby whirled to face the now tiny teen and hissed so loud Clark wanted to grab his sensitive ears to shut out the angry sound.

Deciding to act quickly, Clark took out the first flare and pointed it just left of the feline. He hit the base, triggering the emergency device's charge. It popped and a flash of red sparkling color shot through the air and into the nearby corn, narrowly missing the Tabby.

The cat shot to the side of the Learjet but didn't flee as he'd hoped. Instead, it hissed more and shot out an irate paw in his direction.

Clark dodged the immense mitt, and supersped past the cat so he was shielded from the view from the plane's windows. He let off a second flare and was rewarded with another cuff from the cat's paw. This time, he determined a little more force was required and rather than dodge the sharp claws he grabbed the huge paw and held it fast.

The Tabby screeched in total terror that something so small could grip it and hold it static with such force. It yanked back wildly, but Clark refused to let go until he was sure the animal was so confused and afraid it had no choice but to flee. He loosened his hand and the cat yowled before vanishing into the corn.

Clark watched it leave the edge of the crops on the other side of the field using his x-ray vision, and then jogged back to the jet. Now, he would have some explaining to do, because Lex would surely have seen something. _Why isn't he out here already?_

Once he reached the door he deftly climbed back inside just as Lex was fighting to clamber out. Chloe was hanging from his arm like a dead weight virtually howling for him not to leave her- especially not with Richard.

Lex exhaled with relief at the sight of his young friend still in one piece, and continued to pry Chloe's fingers from his arm- although now the danger had passed he was a little gentler than before. He understood how the situation they were in could freak anyone, but he had expected a little more coolness under fire from Chloe.

Clark's brow furrowed too, and he was just beginning to think the whole ordeal had been too much for his reporter chum when she shot him a weird look that he didn't at first comprehend. When she finally rolled her eyes to the jet's ceiling while Lex wasn't looking, Clark at last got the point. _Chloe was covering for me! She held Lex back on purpose!_ The hint as he had exited the door returned to mind and he sensed his cheeks reddening slightly in her presence. _How could she know? _

The more he thought about it, the more he realized Chloe had been on to him for weeks. The subtle intimation here and there, a knowing glance right after he'd done something super and thought he'd gotten away with it.

The 'how' Chloe had found out didn't really matter anymore. She had kept his deep, dark secret without him even knowing it, and should he get the privacy he needed he would thank her eternally for it. They had lots to talk over, but right now he had some news to impart that may be good, or it could be disastrous.

"What the hell were you thinking going out there like that?" Lex was already yelling so hard he reminded Clark of Jonathan, "That thing could have swatted you like a fly!"

Clark didn't go all apologetic like Lex had expected. Instead, he looked to Chloe hoping to intimate a silent thank you, and then back to the millionaire. "That 'thing' wasn't just any cat," He waited until the cabin fell quiet, "His name is Apollo, and he belongs to old Mrs. Hawthorne. I deliver groceries to her every Tuesday," The teen swallowed hard, trying to accept what it meant, "We're home guys. We're back in Smallville somehow…"

"Yeah, and we're also two inches tall!" Chloe put her hands on her hips spiritedly, and Lex couldn't help but wonder how the frightened rabbit had turned into a vicious tiger in seconds. She looked at the millionaire with an ice cold journalist's stare, "Anything you might want to tell us about the new lab Luthorcorp just opened, Lex?"


	3. Chimera Part 3

**_Thanks for the reviews everyone! Just a small note I forgot to mention before, but I'll be posting the new part of this story every Tuesday :) I thought I'd mention it as I didn't want people to think I'd forgotten about it._**

The cool entrepreneur side of Lex's personality kicked in like an autopilot. He didn't come across as angry, or confrontational, and yet it was obvious Chloe's comments had struck some kind of nerve. Whether it was knowledge or guilt about their predicament remained to be seen.

"If my people were experimenting on anything, and I must emphasize if, then what makes you think it would be remotely related to miniaturization?" Lex pinched the brow of his nose, indicating his frustration, "The new lab is conducting tests on the effects of organic fertilizers enhanced with meteor rock radiation. Luthorcorp was hoping to be able to move away from some of the more reputedly harmful chemical products we now manufacture. It might be a highly unusual experiment, but nothing that would reduce us in size or cause anything like what we flew into." He sighed at having given so much of his privacy up to placate the teenagers.

Chloe's eyes narrowed. Normally, she wouldn't take anything a Luthor said for granted- not even Lex, but this time she was actually half-believing the bald millionaire. "Yeah, right, but who is to say your little research project didn't go wrong with unexpected side effects? After all, it wouldn't be the first time meteor rock experiments caused a fiasco!"

"Chloe!" Clark looked at both his friends and shook his head. Everyone was upset and scared, but bickering wouldn't solve their predicament. "If Lex is telling the truth we need to figure out what really happened or we could be stuck like this. I say we wait until morning and split up and do a little reconnaissance. Maybe find some food and supplies too."

Lex flinched as he noted the 'if' at the beginning of Clark's sentence. It implied the teen wasn't one hundred percent sure of his honesty. The implication hurt, but Lex realized it was warranted. _I've given him so many reasons to doubt me in the past, and now I need his trust I don't have it. _Eventually, Lex simply nodded at Clark's suggestion. "Come on; let's get back inside before Sylvester the cat decides to pay us a return visit."

Chloe's stomach decided to grumble in agreement. She still hadn't eaten her share of the munchies, and she wasn't waiting around for Apollo the cat or some other creature to beat her to it now. She took Clark's hand back up into the cabin gratefully, "You guys just stay away from my pretzels. I'm so not buying they've shrunk if they happen to have vanished when I get back in here…"

Both Clark and Lex had to smile. Chloe would never change, no matter what size she became.

The rest of the night passed by without incident, and as Chloe peeked from under her blanket the next morning she spotted Clark was already up and sipping Tynant water.

"Boy, what I wouldn't give for a hot cup of coffee right now!" She sat up and yawned, wondering where Lex had gotten to. He didn't appear to be in the cabin. "Where's Luthorboy?" She sniped, already missing her caffeine.

Clark smiled and gestured towards the door with his half empty bottle. "Lex has been stranded before, remember? He was up bright and early this morning searching for something more interesting for breakfast than pretzel crumbs."

Chloe tossed the blanket to one side and looked at Richard. He seemed to still be dozing by the window so she ignored him. "I thought farm boys were the earlier risers?" She raised a brow and then stretched her arms, "So did he find anything, or am I to starve as well as be coffee deprived?"

"Lex found a potato crop in the next field and cut some slices out of one with his pocket knife. He's out there cooking yours right now."

"Cooking?" Chloe edged to the door to see the millionaire hovering over a camp fire he'd made. "Well, looks like we have a regular boy scout among us after all!" She clambered out, already sniffing the glorious aroma of the potato slices. Clark followed, shaking his head in amusement.

As the two teenagers approached, Lex glanced up from his culinary task and smiled. "Back for seconds, Clark?"

Clark grimaced and looked at Chloe sheepishly as she frowned at him. He and Lex may have already eaten, but he was, after all used to Martha's immense breakfasts, and he probably could have eaten a whole giant potato to himself, or at least that's what his stomach was telling him.

"I'm fine, Lex," He tugged off his jacket and laid it on a nearby stone that appeared the size of a boulder. "I've been thinking about where you found the potato crop, though." He looked directly at the millionaire, "The only farm I know that has corn and potatoes so closely planted is the Hawthorne's. That fits in with Apollo, Mrs. Hawthorne's cat being around."

"And this helps us how exactly?" Chloe asked while blowing on her newly acquired piece of red hot potato to cool it down, "I mean, we can't go there for help, right?" She munched on her food as she finished her sentence.

"It tells us exactly where we are," Clark explained, "We can split up after we've eaten and each take an area to search where we might best find food, tools or help. Since I've already dined I'm going to start out now and head home. Maybe if I can get mom or dad see me they can help somehow. I'm sure they're frantic about me being missing already."

"Maybe you should wait for us?" Chloe mumbled while stuffing in more potato.

Clark shook his head. "I need to get moving as soon as I can. Short distances are like crossing the States while we're this size." _Not to mention I can't use my speed if anyone else is with me. _

Lex didn't seem to like the idea. "And what if Apollo the cat decides you're his breakfast?" He touched his trouser pocket without thinking, and as Clark x-rayed it he spotted the automatic from the locked box in the pilot's cabin. It was what he had expected to see, but it didn't comfort him. Clark hated guns and what they stood for, even at their current size.

"I managed okay last night, didn't I?" He shrugged, "Don't worry guys, I'll be careful." He looked at Chloe pointedly. _Just how much does she know?_

The blonde reporter shot him a wary glance back and he saw a wicked sparkle in her eyes. Somehow, she knew he was trying to 'lose them.' "We would cover more ground if we split up, Lex." She finished off the last part of her potato, and the millionaire gave in to the majority ruling.

"All right, but we all agree to make it back here by," He checked his pure gold Rolex, "Midday?"

Clark nodded and picked his jacket back up, laying it over his arm rather than donning it. "I think I can make it to the farm and back by then." He shot Chloe the Kent grin and it was obvious she understood the implication. It was kind of fun to toy with her this way. _When I get back we so need to talk, though…_

Lex's brow furrowed and he couldn't help but smirk at the pair as he put more kindling on the fire. He had no clue what silent, private messages their occasional glances meant, but something was definitely going on between the two teens. "Richard always approaches from the South when he comes in to land. I didn't see anything of note that way as we were descending. If you're taking East towards the farm, Chloe and I will go North and West respectively once we've made sure Richard is comfortable."

"Sounds good," Clark slung his jacket over his shoulder and sighed before heading off into the corn. It was going to be a long and very strange day.

Clark had easily supersped to the edge of the cornfield in less than a minute, even though it was quite a distance while he was still so small. Now, he was looking out past the crops to an open pasture. Between him and the lush green grassland was a ditch he had helped to dig out with their neighbors. At the time, it had seemed a small undertaking, but as he looked at the huge furrow of earth before him it now appeared more like the Grand Canyon.

The teen glanced down at the water filled gorge's basin and gulped. If he was to meet Lex's deadline for returning he didn't have time to go around.

"I guess it's time to see if I can jump across a trench as easily as I can onto a moving trailer…" He grimaced as he spoke to himself while backing up to make the leap at super speed. "I hope being small doesn't affect this…"

With another sharp intake of breathe, the teen pushed his muscles into overdrive. The tiny blur across the ground whisked up a microscopic, russet colored dust trail, but Clark never noticed. He was putting all his attention on the gap he was about to traverse. Once he reached the very edge of the chasm he pushed off, using his immense strength to propel his body into the air.

"Whoa…" Twice in the past he had managed such a leap, but this was the first occasion when he wasn't under pressure to save an innocent life. This time, he could actually savor the moment as he almost soared into the sky like he had while possessed by 'Kal.'

The euphoria was shot lived, as was the trip. Clark made a somewhat ungraceful landing in a clump of mud, and skidded right through it onto the thick blades of grass the other side. _I guess I should be thankful it's just mud!_ He stood after regaining his composure and looked down at his soiled clothes. _Great, now I'm camouflaged!_ He rolled his eyes and kicked back into superspeed under the warm morning sun.

Ten minutes after his 'mud bath,' Clark was dashing across the gravel in the Kent driveway towards home. As the colossal yellow farmhouse loomed tall in his vision, he slowed to a more reasonable pace. _How do I confront mom and dad like this?_ Being small was suddenly terrifying.

The barn was closer than the house, and he abruptly had the urge to go there first. It was, after all, his refuge and there was a small water trough out back he could probably clean up in.

The yard seemed quiet as he dashed across it, or was that just his imagination? _What if something happened to mom and dad too? What if Chloe's right and a Luthorcorp experiment made everyone in its range tiny?_ A grumble from the old, but very faithful Kent tractor allayed his fears. Someone was obviously up bright and early and it was probably Jonathan.

Clark inhaled. It looked like his parents were okay, so now it was time to freshen up and face them. He walked around the far corner of the barn and shook his head as he realized just how tall the water trough was from his newfound height. If he wanted to take a wash it meant he'd have to climb up and probably be more like taking a swim.

"Great! First I jump the Grand Canyon, now I have to ascend Everest!" Clark surveyed his hands and clothes. The mud had now dried into a thick baked on mess all over him. There was no way he wanted to stay like that for long. Sighing, he let his fingers search out nicks in the wooden trough's surface and began to tug his body up its side.

Every section of wood had been chipped or damaged at some point in the aged square water butt's career. And every such chip and nick gave Clark something to hold on to on his way up. He paused half way and was glad his skin was impenetrable as a splinter jutted out menacingly near his face. Normally, such a small sliver wouldn't even be noticed, but today it was like a vicious spear of timber. Clark made a note to keep a more watchful eye on Chloe upon his return. _Chloe could be out in the fields up against all kinds of new and hidden perils! _

Eventually, Clark reached the summit of his ascent and pulled his body over the timber lipped surface that edged the trough. After a quick look around he swiftly tugged off his jacket and plaid shirt and dunked them in the huge, square tub. It wasn't exactly the greatest launderette, but after scrubbing with his hands under the water for a few moments the mud and dirt began to dissolve.

Once he was satisfied with his clothes he hung them over the lip to dry in the sunlight while he focused on his hands and face. After a few seconds of trying to scoop water up he gave in and decided on a little fun. No one could see him up here, so he gingerly tugged off his jeans and t-shirt and took the plunge.

The water was ice-cold, but remarkably refreshing, and as he swam the length of the trough, Clark realized he had already missed the uplifting sensation his morning shower gave. _Even if I haven't missed Lois barging in on me!_ He splashed in the water making tiny ripples like some frolicking frog, and then dived deep under the surface intent on coming up where he had abandoned his clothes. _I better go find my parents now and check out what's going on._

Clark bobbed back through the water at the edge of the butt and wiped away excess moisture from his face. When his eyes were free of water he glanced up expecting clear blue skies, only to find some horrid black alien thing staring down at him making a hellish snorting sound.

Clark yelped in surprise and backed up in the water until he realized just what he was looking at. It was Shelby's rather damp nose, sniffing at him in mutual disbelief. The dog's eyes glistened and his tail began to sway as he recognized his master's scent.

"Hey, boy…" Clark remained static in the water, uncertain whether or not to approach the mammoth animal even though he was sure of Shelby's harmless nature.

Shelby's tail swished back and forth even faster at the sound of Clark's voice, and he stuck his nose in the water, affectionately trying to nuzzle his miniscule owner. Clark was pushed backwards like he'd been hit by a tidal wave, and only his super strength saved his spine from snapping as he was washed up harshly against the trough's side.

"Ugh…next time I keep on the muddy clothes…" The teen regained his breath and clambered back on to the lip where his clothes lay. In a split second, he was dressed and staring at Shelby. "Now what do we do, boy?"

Shelby sat down and looked at his master while cocking his head to one side. He sniffed again, just to be certain he wasn't seeing things, and then decided it was time for more affection.

Clark really should have seen the move coming and used his speed to avoid it, but Shelby looked so innocent he never expected what came next. One minute he was perched atop the trough, the next, Shelby's huge tongue was heading for him with every intention of an affection lick. The dog's wet tongue lashed against him, knocking him from his precarious position, and for a split second Clark thought he might even be swallowed like Jonah and the whale.

Instead, the teen sensed his body tumbling backwards towards the sandy earth below. Shelby whined, realizing his mistake, and when Clark landed with a thud he pawed the ground at his master's side gently until the teen moved with a groan. "Remind me to revoke your doggie treats when I get back to full size!"

Shelby's ears shot back a second, and Clark thought the dog had actually understood his little joke. Then, in the distance, Clark heard the real reason for the dog's sudden attentiveness. Someone was calling his name.

"Shelby! Here, boy!" Martha was shouting across the yard in her usual, cheerful morning voice.

Clark scrambled to his feet at the sound and decided to hitch a ride. As Shelby turned to trot up to the house, Clark made another 'super leap,' this time at the dog's leather collar. He grabbed at Shelby's name tag, and just managed to keep a grip on the metal loop that held it fast as the dog's gait changed to more of a sprint.

Shelby smelled food, and knew Martha probably had something tasty waiting in his feeding bowl. He almost leapt into the kitchen, and then slowed as he spotted Jonathan pouring coffee in the corner. If there was one person who would not tolerate careering around the house it was Clark's dad. Shelby knew from experience that Jonathan was not to be crossed after the 'T-bone' incident.

Clark glanced around when his ride reduced speed, and he decided it was time to get down. As Shelby crossed the kitchen, the teen let go of the metal loop he had clung too and slid down the dog's long fur until he was close enough to the floor to drop easily. Spurred on by breakfast, Shelby never noticed his passenger depart.

"Martha, what did I tell you?" Clark watched from beneath the dining table as his dad pointed to Shelby and then rolled his eyes, "I knew we'd end up looking after the dog!"

Martha smiled fondly at Shelby as the dog wagged his tail at some unseen thing beneath the table. "You know Clark's been busy with the school seminar and homework. He's been under so much pressure lately…"

"Still, he could have walked Shelby before leaving this morning," Jonathan put down his coffee cup and looked at his wife before returning her smile, "I know, I know, I'll take the dog with me while I check on the herd." He surrendered, and then leaned over and kissed his wife affectionately before heading for the door. "Oh, can you ask Clark to move me those barrels from the barn when he gets in tonight, sweetheart?"

Martha nodded as she packed muffins to take to the Talon. "And I'll remind him to walk Shelby."

Clark almost gaped. Something was wrong, and it wasn't just his size. _Why haven't mom and dad noticed I didn't come home last night? They're acting like this is an ordinary day and I've gone to school!_ The idea was unnerving, and it made Clark want to back up and hide further under the table instead of confront his parents with his problem. _Why haven't they got Adams around here making out a missing person report on me?_

TBC...


	4. Chimera Part 4

**Thanks for the reviews so far everyone!**

Clark shuddered even though it was a warm day. Suddenly, he decided it may be better not to seek help from his parents until he knew the full facts. _Maybe I can just grab some food and head back._ He waited quietly while Martha packed all the muffins and then departed the family home.

In his heart, Clark wanted to call out to his mother as she slipped out the screen door. It was a son's normal reaction in this kind of situation, but Clark bit his tongue. Some inner warning bell was ringing, and somehow the teen knew he had to remain out of sight.

When the door latch finally clicked into the closed position, Clark warily moved from his hiding place and checked out the kitchen. His first food target was an easy one. While Martha had been filling her basket with the blueberry muffins, she'd inadvertently broken a chunk from one and it had dropped unseen onto a chair beneath the lace table cloth.

Clark smiled at the mammoth hunk of cake that was now staring at him. "Hmn, Mom you cooked my favourites!" Now all he had to do was find a way up on to the chair to acquire his new find.

The teen looked around, abruptly wishing he had Spiderman's abilities to adhere to what he was climbing. After a moment, he realized his mom's sewing basket should be in its usual spot in the corner. Grinning, Clark super sped to where he expected to find the basket, and wasn't disappointed. Easily using the lattice framework as a ladder, Clark was inside in seconds.

"Whoa!" Clark fell onto a ball of wool as he jumped down, and narrowly missed a knitting needle's point as he slid into the contents of the container. "Lucky I'm spear proof!" He joked to himself.

At the bottom of the basket he found his goal. Martha always kept a few safety pins handy, and right now he needed one in a hurry.

Clark grabbed the huge metal fastener and then scurried back to the ball of wool. "And now for the rope…" He hastily unravelled some of the bright blue twine and seared off enough to serve his purpose using a short blast of heat vision. Once the yarn was severed, he wound it up and tugged it over his shoulder like a cowboy would a lasso. Then, it was a quick climb back out, and a short superspeed over to the chair.

Clark looked up at his new mountain and wished he could fly like he once had as Kal- it would have been so much quicker. Instead, he attached the wool to the open safety pin and whirled it in an arc above his head until it had gathered enough speed and momentum. Then, he let it loose with a small prayer and the pin flew upwards, snagging on the chair like a make-shift grappling hook.

Clark tugged on the wool to ensure the pin would take his weight, and then hurriedly ascended its length up to the chair seat. At the top, the sweet smell of the muffin almost made the effort worth while. "Chloe is so going to love this…the world's biggest muffin chunk!"

Clark took off his jacket and laid it down, breaking of large sections of the succulent cake and placing them in the center. When he was sure he had plenty, he folded his jacket in from each edge and tied it in the middle, effectively making a muffin filled pouch. To any of the others it might have been an awkward load to juggle while climbing, but Clark simply threw it over his shoulder and abseiled back down his woollen rope to the kitchen floor.

"I guess it's time I was getting back before Lex and Chloe get worried," Clark checked his watch and then kicked back into superspeed to the nearest open window, taking his new hook and rope with him to elicit an escape.

Outside, he paused and glanced around one last time. It was still hard to believe he may never call this place home again- at least not in the same sense he used to. He looked at the barn and wished he could go peek from his telescope one more time, or sit atop his couch pondering how to avoid Lois, but those days were apparently gone.

Clark sighed and readjusted his 'muffin backpack' before heading back the way he had come. _I guess I better avoid the mud this time!_ He smiled to himself wondering what Chloe would have thought of his mud-caked face. _She'd have found it hilarious_, he suspected.

Clark reached the border of the Kent property in record time, using his speed to full advantage. At the last field, he paused at the sound of the old tractor somewhere nearby, and climbed on top of a boulder-sized rock to check it out.

Jonathan had let the herd into the meadow where Clark had landed in the mud, and was now unloading feed for them from the tractor's trailer. "Great! How do I superspeed across there without spooking the cows?" Shelby was sitting with Jonathan too, and Clark was concerned he might alert the farmer to his tiny son's presence, _or worse, try and lick me again!_

The teen climbed back down from the stone and realized he might have to take the long way around on the trip back. It would probably make him late, and Chloe would freak, but there was little else to do. He would have to take the main road and go past the Hawthorne's farm. _I better move my butt!_

Clark snuck a tiny piece of muffin out and ate it for his trouble, and then jogged by the nearest of the Kent heifers so as not to spook them with his speed. It was funny, but he knew from experience that cows could be pretty sensitive animals.

Once he reached the end of the thicker grass, he checked his bearings and was about to hit full throttle when something huge and furry stopped him.

Apollo's paw swiped out like lightning from where the cat had been hiding, and its swiping motion sent the teen flying through the air like some field mouse caught unawares.

Clark landed with a thud on the edge of the gravel roadway, and was so disorientated he didn't even have time to speed away.

Apollo pounced, claws outstretched, and he had no intention of being the loser this time. The defeat he had suffered at the tiny being's hands the previous night had left a mark in the cat's mind. If a feline could understand such a concept, Apollo wanted revenge.

Clark rolled onto his back, squashing his muffin haul slightly in the process, and instinctively covered his face with his arms, even though his skin couldn't be pierced.

The cat pawed him more, trying desperately to inflict harm, and the teen's shirt was torn in several places. When his long, sharp talons refused to sink into flesh, Apollo meowed angrily, and then hissed on his prey. Clark thought about blasting the cat with his heat vision, but it seemed so unfair to the animal. After all, the cat was only following its instincts.

Then, a friendly and welcome sound saved the day. From the field where Clark had just exited, Shelby came barrelling through the grass and out onto the track. He barked repeatedly, and then his hind legs skidded in the gravel as he stared out the cat.

Apollo's back arched, and for the moment Clark was forgotten while the classic cat and dog showdown played out. In the end, Apollo decided Shelby was too big to risk sinking his claws into, and he made a dash for home.

Shelby paused just for a second to look at his tiny master, and his tail swished lovingly, but then he couldn't resist the thrill of the chase and he raced after the fleeing cat.

Clark hastily stood up and surveyed the damage. His plaid shirt had a few small rips, and the muffin backpack was a little squashed, but otherwise he was in one piece. _I guess I better high tail it! _Without thinking where he was directly going, Clark let his muscles do the work and headed back in a westerly direction. Being late now was inevitable.

He'd travelled what he imagined to be about half the distance to the plane when he began to tire. That in itself was weird. _Why do I feel like..?_

Clark took two more steps and felt his knees begin to buckle. Normally, he'd know about Kryptonite's presence way before it got too dangerous to back off- even if it made him feel sick. Right now, he'd sensed nothing until he was hitting the dirt face first. _Great, more squashed muffin! _

The sheer concentration of the radiation being emitted was immense, and as Clark scanned his surroundings from his almost fetal position he saw why. Off to his left, partially concealed by a tree root, was a chunk of meteor rock. It was like being next to an emerald mountain of pain and torture.

The thing looked like it could have laid there since the shower, so thick was the undergrowth around it, but of course that didn't matter to Clark. The only thing on his mind right now was how to escape its mounting effects before he succumbed to them and died.

With every movement Clark felt his body deteriorate, and his veins bulged with the evil green fire that coursed through them like the devil's tentacles. He reached out, desperately trying to pull his blighted body away from the mammoth fragment, but all his fingers could do was scratch in the dirt he was so drained. He'd never been exposed to such a large quantity of Kryptonite before, and its intense power was literally sucking his life away.

Thoughts of home came back to him then, and of Chloe- even Lois too…

Chloe trudged through the corn feeling both elated and dejected at the same time. She was happy that she didn't have to hide her knowledge of Clark's gifts anymore, but sad that it had come out the way it had. She'd wanted Clark to tell her in his own time, but their current predicament had changed all that. At some point they would need to get away from Lex and discuss things.

Chloe stopped and looked around. There was nothing except crops and an old dirt track for as far as the eye could see. She wouldn't be finding much to eat this way despite going further than she'd planned. Sighing, the reporter checked the time and noted she was going to be late back. _Great, Superboy will be freaking! _She turned; about to retrace her steps to the plane when something made her pause.

It sounded like a cat's high pitched scream, followed by a dog barking. "Oh boy, sounds like Apollo might be out and about again!" Chloe shivered and decided to deviate slightly from her course in an effort to avoid the feisty feline and its doggy follower. "If I see one more ear of corn I'll scream!" She muttered as she hurried away from the noise, "I wonder if Clark or Lex had better luck? Say, a huge pot of coffee or miniature lattes to go might be nice…"

"Chloe!"

The reporter stopped dead as she heard her name called meekly from behind a gnarled tree stump. _What the…_She gulped, wondering if she'd imagined it, but then the plea came again, only much weaker this time.

"Chloe…"

The small blonde didn't hesitate a second time. The feeble voice had been heart- wrenchingly recognizable. "Clark!" Chloe called out in answer and raced behind the wooden stump.

Clark lay on the floor unmoving and silent as she rounded the rotting obstacle. He was curled up in a ball and only his eyes showed any cognisance as she dashed towards him. "What happened? What's wrong?" Chloe bombarded Clark with questions while kneeling at his side and placing a hand on his arm reassuringly.

Clark looked over her shoulder. "M…meteor rock." He tried to nod, indicating the green death's direction, "I'm allergic to them…"

Chloe whirled around and saw the emerald boulder glowing slightly under the thick vegetation. "I'll go get Lex, he can carry you…" She jumped up, thinking back to all the times that Clark had collapsed in the past when he came into close contact with Lana. _It was the necklace!_

Clark somehow reached out a hand and weakly tried to pull her back. "No time, Chloe…killing me…" His finger slid down her arm and he slumped back into his position on the floor, half conscious.

Chloe bit her lip and looked around. She was out of time, and out of options. Clark was dead weight in his current condition, and she wasn't exactly the ideal size to lift him. _Don't you dare think 'dead' weight again, Sullivan!_ She chided herself for her choice of words, and then hooked her tiny arms under Clark's shoulders.

With a sharp intake of breath, Chloe tugged backwards as hard as she could, effectively dragging her friend away from the poisonous rock. Hauling Clark wasn't easy, and Chloe soon found she was out of breath. The further away from the rock they got though, the less it seemed to glow. "That has to be a good sign huh, Clark?" He didn't respond, but talking to him at least made Chloe feel better.

Once they were at what Chloe thought was a safe distance, she slumped breathlessly to the floor and let Clark's head gently fall in her lap. He looked a sickly pallor, but worst of all she realized she wasn't even sure if he was still breathing. "Clark!" She shook his shoulder and then put a hand to her mouth in fear. _He always recovered once Lana backed off with the necklace, why isn't he now? Don't tell me I've waited so long to be honest with him and now… _

"Clark!" Chloe's scream sounded so harrowing it seemed to echo through the corn despite her size. She prodded him again and began to sob, because that was all she had energy left for.

After awhile, Chloe gulped and looked down at where her tears had splashed on Clark's face. _He can't be dead! _She rubbed the moisture away from her own bleary eyes, and then rubbed a fingertip gently across his wet cheek. At her touch, he moaned softly but still didn't stir.

Chloe smiled wanly with relief, and sniffled as more tears came. Clark was alive, and nothing else mattered. She examined him intently, and once she was satisfied he wasn't getting any worse, she took off her small jacket and placed it under his head. "I know if you were awake you'd probably argue with me, but I have to get Lex. I can't carry you, Clark."

Chloe brushed his hair back affectionately and looked dismayed at having to leave him alone, but she had to get help. If the tiny fragment of rock in Lana's necklace could make him sick, then what could a chunk the size of a small car do? She took one glance back at him, praying Apollo didn't make another visit while she was gone, and then Chloe sprinted off in the hope that Lex was already searching for them both. _We're late back. Maybe he'll head this way first,_ Another worrying thought came to mind; _how the heck do I explain what's wrong with Clark to Lex?_

_TBC..._


	5. Chimera Part 5

Chloe hadn't gotten far when she spotted something moving in the corn up ahead. She slowed, unsure whether to assume it was Lex, or another hidden danger headed her way.

"Lex?" She dared to almost whisper, "Lex, is that you?" It was a risk to make her position known, but if it meant getting Clark help sooner then the young reporter didn't care.

The shadowy movement among the towering sheaves appeared to pause, and two seconds later Lex charged from behind a huge tubular stalk, panting. He leaned forward, putting his hands on his knees to help catch his breath back quicker. "Chloe, where have you been? Clark's missing too, I thought…"

"You thought right!" Chloe pointed frantically back towards where she had left Clark, "Clark's sick. I found him collapsed on the ground, but I couldn't get him back to the plane. We need to hurry." _I'm not exactly lying. I did find him collapsed and curled in a ball._ "That cat is around again too…"

Lex nodded and as he picked up the pace again to follow Chloe he began to ask questions. "Do you think the cat could have attacked Clark?"

_Oh boy, how to I steer him away from the giant meteor rock answer?_ Chloe pushed past a twig that looked more like a full grown branch, and then headed for the tree stump near where Clark lay. "I don't think anything's physically hurt him. He just looked sick…" She replied truthfully.

Lex raised a brow. Of all the years he'd known Clark it was a very rare instance indeed that the kid got ill. In fact, he could only think of one real occasion, and that was when Martha had been stricken down with something too. The thought made a new possibility rear its ugly head, but the billionaire chose not to tell Chloe his theory just yet. It could, after all, just be his wild imagination.

"Clark?" Chloe called out as she rounded the remains of the tree trunk, hoping that her friend had recovered- but he had not.

Clark still lay on the ground where she had left him. He didn't even stir at the sound of his name. She glanced worriedly at Lex, afraid for Clark's health, and afraid at what Lex might discover in the next few moments.

The bald entrepreneur leaned over his young friend and gently pressed two fingers to Clark's neck. At the same time, he searched their surroundings with a wary and piercing gaze.

Chloe swallowed hard, wondering if he would spot the meteor rock now that it had ceased glowing. Luckily, he seemed not to see it, or simply thought it was an ordinary rock beneath the foliage. "Do you think he'll be alright?" She asked out of true concern and also to try and distract Lex from doing too much of an in-depth investigation of their immediate area.

Lex wiped sweat from his brow with his forearm and looked at her with an expression that exuded mixed emotions. He was worried, that much was obvious, but Chloe was unsure whether all the concern was centred on Clark or not. Lex was a Luthor after all, and Luthors had a nasty reputation for self preservation. Chloe had found that out the hard way.

"Chloe, I honestly don't know…"

"But you do have a theory, right?" Chloe's temper was getting the better of her. Lex was toying with her while Clark was still clearly very sick. _What if he knows? Lex is no fool. He's investigated Clark before. _

"I have a theory," Lex admitted, "but I really don't think this is the time or place to discuss it. We need to get Clark back to the plane and try and help him." Without waiting for Chloe to agree, Lex grabbed the unconscious teen's arm and pulled him carefully up. Then, with one heave he managed to hoist Clark over his right shoulder.

Chloe had no choice but to follow him and retrace their steps back to the stricken jet. But as she hurried, all she could think of was Clark, his secret, and whatever it was Lex was about to reveal.

The journey back to the Learjet was a reasonably slow one. Even though Lex tried to make good time, Clark was a heavy burden for anyone to haul around for any given period. He paused several times to regain his breath, and huffed when he came to a short incline that he hadn't even noticed before.

When the half-hidden plane finally came into view, Lex exhaled and felt almost ready to collapse himself. "You might have to give me a hand with him up into the cabin." He confessed, lowering Clark so that he was in an upright position, "I'll climb in first. You steady him…"

Chloe nodded and did everything Lex asked. After ten more minutes of struggling, Clark was finally manoeuvred onto one of the jet's lavish seats near to where Richard still sat. In fact, the blind man had hardly moved from the same window spot since they'd arrived.

The pilot raised his head questioningly at all the fuss. "You found the missing pair of love birds then?" He leered sarcastically; his white eyes making his mocking tone seem even more accentuated.

"Clark's sick, you jerk!" Chloe felt the urge to slap the pilot for his attitude. Ever since he'd lost his sight he'd become increasingly unpredictable and mostly downright rude. Being blind gave him some excuse, but now his actions were getting beyond acceptable.

Richard opened his mouth to give a scathing retort, but then paused as Clark began to cough. It sounded like a horrid dry hack, and the noise alone made Chloe shudder. She put a hand on his chest and held him down lightly as he seemed to waken just a little, and then she panicked at how short of breath he was.

"Thirsty…" Clark looked Chloe in the eye pleadingly and she quickly reached over for one of the precious bottles of Tynant water. Holding it to his lips Chloe allowed him to take a few sips before pulling back. Clark nodded his unspoken thanks and then slumped back on his seat, obviously drained.

Richard's head cocked to one side and his dead eyes narrowed as instinct still took control of his nerves. "Sick you say? What are the rest of his symptoms besides the thirst?" He asked cannily, sitting forward to hear the response.

"His pulse is faster than a speeding freight train…" Lex watched the pilot, but already knew what he was thinking. It would seem the pair were already suspecting the same thing had happened, "Weakness, shortness of breath…" The billionaire paused as his pilot nodded, "But then you already expected that, didn't you?"

Richard smirked. "I told you when I saw that flash of energy we flew through it was like some nuclear blast. I didn't get this way for nothing," He waved a hand in front of his eyes as Chloe watched in amazement, unsure what the two men were thinking. "Pretty soon the kid will want to be sick. If he hasn't already…"

"What are you saying?" Chloe gaped and couldn't resist the urge to put a hand on Clark again almost protectively. _They can't be right, whatever they're thinking. The rock made him sick. I know it did!_

"Richard is suggesting that we're probably all going to die pretty soon. Aren't you, Richard?" Lex's brow creased just a little. "Despite his annoying behavior of late, I'm inclined to agree." He folded his arms, "Chloe, Clark is exhibiting all the classic signs of radiation sickness. Whatever we flew threw must have poisoned our systems. I had already suspected as much when we found Clark the way we did."

"Now wait just a minute. For all we know, Clark could just have ate something out there that made him sick. You're jumping to conclusions!" _How the heck do I explain this one without digging myself into a hole! _

Richard laughed. It wasn't the chortle of a mad man, but more the laughter of a man with no hope and no future. Even Lex didn't try to stop him as he continued to chuckle scathingly. "My dear, trust me. I'm ex-military…we're all going to die. And from what I know, it's not a very pleasant death."

Lex shook his head. Just because Richard was probably right didn't mean they had to give in. He rubbed a hand over his shiny scalp and paced the cabin. Eventually, he ignored the pilot's cackles and stared straight at Chloe. "I'm going to try and get help. Maybe if I can get into Luthorcorp, somehow I can get to Dr. Ford. He's a good man. I'm sure I can convince him to help us."

Chloe felt her stomach tighten. Clark couldn't be helped by any doctor. And even if he could, she thought involving Luthorcorp scientists in their current predicament was a big mistake. "Wait, Lex, we don't even know how we got so small. How can you trust anyone?" She tried tugging him back from the open doorway. "What if your father is somehow part of all this? Just because he's been acting all holier than thou doesn't mean he's turned into a saint overnight!" _I have to stop him. If we wait and Clark gets better he won't go to Luthorcorp. _

Lex paused as he put one foot onto the leaning step. He seemed his usual calm self once again. "I know my father and his ploys. Believe me, I've never underestimated his newfound dignity. I do, however suspect that if we don't get some help, we'll either die from some animal attack, or succumb to the same thing Clark has."

"Lex, no!" Chloe yanked on his forearm, but he pulled away and clambered from the plane, "You can't help Clark by doing this!" She called after him, but he didn't look back- not even once.

Chloe stood in the doorway for over two hours, staring out into the heart of nothing. She felt so useless that at one point she even wished Richard was right. Perhaps it would be better to die now rather than later_. I've let Clark down. He was right to hide his secret from me all these years. What good was I when it got to crunch time?_

"Chloe?" The voice still sounded feeble, but it was definitely an improvement on Clark's earlier attempts at talking.

Chloe turned and hurried back inside to find her friend propping himself up rather groggily. Richard had vanished from the window seat but she shrugged his absence off as insignificant right now. He couldn't have left the plane without passing her, so she guessed maybe he'd managed to make it to the bathroom on his own. "Hey, how are you feeling?" There was relief mixed with concern in the question as she took a seat next to Clark.

Clark inhaled and coughed again, rubbing his temple. "I have the world's worst headache, and aspirin don't work on me." He grumbled, and then squinted, looking Chloe in the eye apologetically, "I'm sorry if I scared you, but I've always been allergic to those things…"

"Yeah, I kind of put two and two together and came up with the whole sick in Lana's presence theory, at least when she used to wear the necklace," Chloe smiled wanly and offered him more water, "I guess you never had to face one the size of a house before though, huh?"

Clark took the water but then realized he felt sick. It wasn't easy to stifle the urge to wretch, but he did- just. "No, I never had the displeasure of encountering a meteor that size before…" He hacked again, "Frankly, I don't want to ever again either…I think it nearly killed me."

"Easy! Just sit back." Chloe hated seeing him this way, but now that he was conscious there was a lot of ground to cover in a short while. He had to be told where Lex had gone, and they had to be honest with one another about his abilities. She pulled a blanket around him, just like he had done for her when they'd first arrived, and then she glanced around looking for Richard. He was still nowhere to be seen. It was now or never for their little one to one. "Clark…we need to talk about things…" She fluttered her eyelashes and bit her lip, knowing this was going to be a very awkward moment.

Clark glanced at the cabin floor and then let his back gently fall back against the seat, "How long have you known?" He found he couldn't face to look Chloe in the eye, not yet.

"Remember a call Alicia made to you about her car being out of control?" Chloe hated bringing up Alicia because she knew the sad memories it caused, but if she was going to be honest then it had to be done, "Well…Alicia made that call on purpose, to prove to me you weren't um…normal." This time it was Chloe who looked to the floor in uncertainty. "I saw you catch that car, Clark."

"You've known all this time and never once confronted me?" The news was obviously surprising to the teen and his eyes widened slightly.

Of all the people in his life, Chloe had been the one he thought would have the most issues with his abilities. He didn't doubt she'd accept him for what he was, but Chloe usually had a problem keeping things like this under wraps. The realization that she had covered for him on numerous occasions already, gave the teen a new respect for his newshound friend.

"I knew you'd tell me when the time was right," Chloe sighed, "although I hadn't counted on any of this happening." She looked around their makeshift home, "There are so many things I want to ask you, but for now I'm just glad that you're safe." Her eyes narrowed enquiringly, "You are feeling better, right?"

Clark hunched forward cautiously and felt abruptly nauseous. He decided he was not quite back on full form just yet. "I'll live," He offered, "Where's Lex?"_ What does he know? Has Chloe been forced to tell him anything about me?_

"Oh boy," Chloe rolled her eyes and instantly scared her still recovering friend with her tone, "When you got sick, Lex and Richard came up with this crazy idea that we were all going to come down with radiation sickness because of whatever it was we flew through. Lex has gone off on some one man crusade to get help from Luthorcorp, and there was no way I could stop him!"

Clark's voice raised an octave to join Chloe's high pitch, "Chloe! We can't let anyone at Luthorcorp find out we're even here! I went home and something strange is going on. My parents were acting as if nothing has happened and I'm at school for the day, not missing." He thought about the implications. "Lex could be walking into a giant-sized lab and become their latest experiment. We have to stop him."

Chloe huffed, "Yeah right, well in case you weren't listening I already tried that. Lex just pushed me away. He thinks you're dying, Clark, and he's the only one who can save you. Maybe he thinks he owes you that much after all the times you saved our butts," She considered the facts and also had to admit another possible scenario, "He's also a Luthor, so there's a distinct possibility he could be after saving his own butt too."

"How much does he…does he know about me?" Clark stammered a little. He wasn't ready for any of this.

"Nothing he didn't know before. We got lucky that he came up with that hockey radiation sickness theory of his, or I might have had a hard time explaining why you were at deaths door out there." Chloe fell into deep thought for a second and considered something.

"Lex was probably half right," Clark conceded, unaware that his friend was coming up with her own opinion of what the billionaire was up to, "I think the meteor rocks do emit some kind of radiation. Just look at all the mutations in Smallville since the shower. The thing is it affects me much faster than um…" He looked glumly at Chloe, not wanting to say 'than it does humans', and then noted she wasn't really listening anyway, "Chloe?"

The reporter jumped slightly in her seat as he brought her back to reality, and then explained what she'd been contemplating. "You know, Clark, Lex came up with his radiation theory pretty much out of the blue. Why would he think you had radiation sickness just because you collapsed?" She lifted a brow.

"You still think he knows more than he's admitting, don't you?" Clark slipped the blanket off Chloe had covered him with, "I guess your mystery lab theory is rearing its ugly head again. But if Lex knows why we're suddenly small, why has he waited so long to try and contact his people for help?"

Chloe shrugged. "You got me on that one, but he knows more than he's saying you can bet money on it." She frowned and then searched the cabin as if she'd lost something. "Richard, our favourite ghoul pilot seemed to know too much too. Which begs the question where is he?"

"He's not outside?" Clark used his seat's heavily padded plush arms as leverage and hoisted his body upright. He was still wobbly on his feet, but at least he didn't feel sick anymore. "Have you tried the bathroom?"

Chloe shook her head and gave her friend a steadying hand as they both walked to the rear of the plane. It was weird that Richard had been quiet for so long- especially when he normally had so much doom and gloom to dispel on them all. Halfway down the aisle Clark stopped and Chloe thought he was going to keel over. Instead, he squinted at the door to the bathroom and then looked down at her.

"Chloe, he's not in there. Are you sure he didn't leave the plane?"

"He couldn't have gotten by me!" Chloe whirled around and wondered if the pilot had somehow sneaked past her while she'd stood in the doorway. The only place he could have gotten to though, was the cockpit. "What would he want to get in there for?" Clark followed her gaze and squinted again. This time, Chloe realized what he was doing, "Say, just how much did Alicia fail to mention to me about you?"

Clark grinned for the first time since he'd regained consciousness. "Oh, enough, but that will have to wait. Our pilot has gone AWOL through the cockpit window." The teen shakily moved forward with Chloe in tow until they reached the open adjoining door.

A cool breeze was now blowing through where Richard had slid back the side window, and apparently clambered down an emergency escape ladder to the ground below. It was something he'd been trained to do, but without his eyesight it must have been a painstaking and dangerous task.

Chloe grimaced in confusion. "Why would he risk breaking his neck to get out of here without me knowing?" She looked to Clark, who was propping himself up by leaning against the doorframe, "So, now what do we do? We've got a nutso pilot running rampant through a cornfield the size of Kansas, and Lex is halfway to Luthorcorp, possibly hiding a deep dark corporate secret from us!" She threw her arms in the air in exasperation and then fell back with a thud onto the co-pilot's chair.

"Don't forget to add our size to that list," Clark shot Chloe a cheeky smirk and then lowered himself onto the pilot's seat next to her. He had to break his next suggestion gently, because he knew very well she'd freak at the idea. "Chloe, I have to go after Lex. If he gets trapped in Luthorcorp we may never know the truth, and if he is involved he may be our only way back…"

"Not to mention he's your friend, right?" Chloe was definitely angry. _Why does he always have to be the one who puts his life on the line? If Luthorcorp get a hold of him he won't need to worry about Lex being a lab rat! _"You can't go, Clark! You're still sick and you'll never catch him up anyway…"

Clark sighed and put a hand atop Chloe's. "You know that's not true. I can catch Lex way before he reaches the plant with my speed."

"But you can barely stand up! You should wait, rest more, or maybe I should come with you! You can't keep whooshing off and leaving me behind staring at the empty space you just vacated. I've been letting you get away with that for far too long!" Chloe stood up and folded her arms, blocking his exit, but she knew if he wanted he could easily pick her up out of the way.

Clark's expression became sullen. "Chloe, you know I don't do that on purpose. Sometimes though, like now, it's the only way. He tried to stand from the pilot's chair with more confidence and strength than he really felt he had, and placed his hands on Chloe's arms reassuringly as he looked down at her face. "I need you to stay here. If there's one thing I could never live with it's the thought of you in some glass beaker being prodded. I've lived in fear enough of that myself to know, trust me."

Their eyes met, and for a split second Chloe actually thought she sensed some spark between them. Perhaps it was just concern that flickered across the farm boy's features, but it reminded Chloe of the Spring Formal dance so far back in their history together. Things had almost been perfect that night- almost. But then here he was again, about to dash off into some unknown danger, alone and still suffering the meteor rocks after-effects.

"I'll never win with you, will I, Clark Kent?" She spoke the words softly to him, and he held her close in an affectionate hug, before pulling back and smiling.

"You know me so well…" Clark picked up his safety pin rope that Lex and Chloe had retrieved, and slung it back over his shoulder. "Look after my muffin stash while I'm gone," he winked and headed for the door. "Keep an eye out for the pilot, and no following me, Chloe…I don't want to have to worry about you as well as Lex."

Chloe nodded, but was unsure if she would keep her promise. Clark seemed much more mature out here, much more the person she knew he'd always been deep down, but rarely allowed to surface in their own version of Smallville. That, or course, didn't mean he was infallible. He'd already succumbed to his weakness once. What if the scientists at Luthorcorp were actually working with the meteor rocks again?

As Clark kicked into a somewhat guarded version of superspeed, Chloe watched once again from the Learjet. _You better hurry, Clark, or this girl is going to be watching your butt a whole lot closer than you think…_

_TBC..._


	6. Chimera Part 6

_Many thanks to everyone who has read and reviewed so far!_

Lex made it to the nearest Smallville back road after about an hour of walking. It wasn't really easy to pinpoint an exact position because of their size, but from the information they already had he guessed he was a couple of miles away from the edge of the Luthorcorp perimeter. Two miles didn't sound much, but he could be walking for an extremely long time when every stride was so tiny. _I need to find another way to get there…_

Transport for a 'little person' wasn't going to be easy to find, but Lex wasn't going to shy away from any opportunity that offered itself up. He treated every situation in life like a business deal, and if you were prepared to take the risks, that sometimes meant reaping the rewards too.

In the bushes to his right as he crossed the road, he heard a soft giggle and was instantly alert. It could be someone who might spot him, or a possible ride in the making.

Lex dodged for cover, and then carefully inched his way towards the sound of the laughter, being cautious with every move so as to not to give himself away. The hidden trip to the bottom of the shrubbery took a further two minutes, but when Lex looked across onto the opening the other side he was genuinely surprised. Molly Carpenter, a secretary at Luthorcorp was sitting on a blanket with her arms around a fellow employee from the plant's research lab named Tony.

"So that's were she sneaks off to every lunch break…" Lex raised a brow and smirked wryly before deciding he'd come across the perfect way to get back to his beloved company.

Molly's purse was only a short distance away, and if he could hitch a covert ride in it he'd be back at the office and labs in no time.

Without thinking about any unforeseen dangers, the minute billionaire launched into a sprint towards the open purse and then dived in. Luckily, Molly was far too busy cuddling Tony to notice her new passenger, and all Lex had to do was wait for the Luthorcorp lunch break to come to an end and he would be home and dry. He looked at his watch impatiently for another twenty minutes before the purse was finally hoisted aloft and he was on his way.

Clark followed the path he thought Lex would take at just under half the velocity he normally used when super-speeding. Firstly, he didn't want to miss his rich friend by moving too quickly, and secondly, he still felt drained from his encounter with the huge meteor rock. Still, after travelling for half an hour the teen had expected to catch up. He slowed as he met the nearest gravel roadway and looked around. There was no sign of Lex.

"Well, you don't have my speed, so how have you gotten so far ahead?" Clark mumbled to himself as he thought of possible scenarios, and then decided to scan the surrounding area for clues. _What if the cat came back? _The idea that Apollo could have attacked Lex wasn't a pleasant one, and the teen hastily kicked into x-ray vision to scan the underbrush and adjacent cornfield.

There was no signs of life amongst the corn save for a scurrying mouse, startled by some local hawk, but behind the shrubbery nearest to him, Clark spotted a recently discarded apple core. He jogged over and examined the evidence more closely. From the discoloration of the huge fruit's remaining flesh he guessed it had been tossed down only a short while ago. He frowned at it. The core was sitting on its end, and was as tall as he was.

"Did someone catch you, Lex?" Clark became scared for his friend as he paced the open clearing, "Where you even here when they were?" Clark shook his head in defeat, and then noticed tire marks in the earth. He kneeled, inspecting the mammoth ruts for any small detail that might help, but of course, once the vehicle had gotten out onto the main road there was no way to trace it. "Unless…" Clark stood up again excitedly and looked to where the tracks lead.

The unknown vehicle had exited the clearing the only way it could, and that meant driving straight through an indent in the ground filled with squishy, chocolate colored mud. Clark smirked at the furrow, recalling how it had gotten there last summer when he'd tossed a fence stake just a little too hard and it had literally flown about a mile. Over winter the groove had filled with water and made a mud bath. _Just as long as I don't end up in it like in the field…_

The mud might not remain on the car's tires for very long, but any traces left behind on the roadway would be a trail until it dried up. What was even more beneficial was Clark's size. He had unnaturally good eyesight anyway, but being smaller meant a normally tiny mud stain would appear larger to him. _If they don't go too far I might be able to track them. I just hope I'm not following a wrong lead, but then if Lex isn't in the car, where is he? _

Clark glanced around one last time and then kicked into his usual rate of superspeed. All the time he was spending out in the warm Kansas sun was recharging his body, and he was beginning to feel his old self again.

A mile an a half down the road, one bridge, and two turn offs later, the minuscule mud fleck traces ran out. Clark slowed, but didn't stop, trying to imagine what was out this way and where the car could be heading. To his knowledge, there was only one thing this side of the Elbow River that was worth mentioning, and that was Luthorcorp. It seemed an insane thing to do, but Clark imagined Lex was just bold enough to do it. _He's gotten in that car somehow to get back to the plant! _

The teen swallowed hard and looked to the towering chemical manufacturing structures in the distance. The Luthorcorp plant always had a cold, heartless feel to it, but today that effect was magnified immeasurably by how it dwarfed him. If Lex was inside though, then Clark would need to follow.

Skirting the main electric railings, Clark moved towards the swipe card operated gate that workers enter via. He didn't need to sneak in that way because he could easily fit through the diamond shaped gaps in the fence, but this way was much nearer the research labs he'd seen once when he'd entered the plant after a toxin had escaped. _Lex knew about the military experiment that Lionel had started that time, but he didn't have it shut down till he'd almost killed half of Smallville…_

The memory of Jason, Lana and Chloe in the hospital came back to haunt him, followed by the vision of his parents splayed out on the farmhouse floor. He shuddered, and then dodged behind a yellow barrel bearing a toxic label as the sound of approaching footsteps echoed across the concrete.

Clark checked his watch, wondering if it was time for a shift change, but as the person neared, the teen's arm dropped back to his side and he had to blink in shock. Not only was the approaching man not a Luthorcorp employee, but he wore the fatigues of a US Marine. An M16 was slung over his shoulder, and he took position at the security gate as if he was taking up sentry duty there.

Clark's mouth opened and he blinked again, but somehow his voice was lost to him. All the time since the plane crash he had convinced himself that this was not a dream, but now it had to be. _Maybe Lex never did shut that project down. Maybe we're all experiencing some kind of group nightmare this time?_

The young, blonde haired soldier before him couldn't be a ghost, and he couldn't be here in Smallville. Clark mouthed the word, "Whitney…" in a slow, shaken drawl and was tempted to pinch his own impenetrable skin, because the netherworld they had fallen into had just gotten a lot scarier.

Chloe turned her back to the immense outside world as soon as Clark had vanished. She didn't know why, but she couldn't bring herself to look at the magnified vista of Smallville anymore. It was more than a nightmare- it was like a living hell.

The reporter glanced around the cabin and began to tidy things, placing their new muffin stash near Lex's drinks cabinet that had now been appropriated for their provisions. She sneaked a crumb of the moist cake as she busied herself, and its sweet taste reminded her of Martha and her cooking. _Will I ever be able to tell Clark's mom how good her food is again? _

Chloe frowned and decided that feeling sorry for herself was not exactly the best course of action_. I need to focus! For starters I should be thinking about protecting myself while Clark and Lex are out of the picture!_ She glanced around, scoping out the sparse items they had for something that would make a good weapon. Lex had taken the only real gun they had, so it was down to simple common sense to find something suitable.

"I'd love a baseball bat right about now…" She tapped her fingers on the slide out table near her seat and then realized Lex's precious belongings were still packed in the back of the jet, "I guess it would be asking too much for him to have brought one of his favourite swords along…"

Chloe ducked into the storage area and began unzipping her host's cases. After rummaging through Armani suits, Gucci ties and a fencing outfit she began to give up hope. "I don't suppose he'd pack a sword in with his clothes anyway," she tugged open another compartment and a leather golf-bag tumbled out almost knocking her over. It wasn't what she'd hoped for, but it might help.

The blonde pulled out every club until she found the heaviest and then cradled it in her hands sensing its weight for a method of defence. "I'm no Tiger Woods, but I should be able to hit _something_ with this," She smiled and then pulled her body up from where she'd slouched on the floor while searching. "Now to see if I can find the mace I had in my purse and I'm all set."

Thunk….

Chloe stopped dead in her tracks and listened as the metallic sound seemed to rumble through the airframe. It sounded like someone chopping, but instead of firewood, the hacking was more like metal on metal. She peeked around the door and breathed in; daring herself to discover what was causing the ear grating noise. It came again, only this time the hammering seemed closer.

Chloe tiptoed to the nearest port side window and peered out, squinting as the sunlight caught her unawares. Under the wingtip she saw a shadowy movement followed by cursing. The voice was instantly recognizable as Richard, _but what the heck is he doing out there? _She put her free hand up to shield her eyes and took another look.

The crazed pilot had a small red hatchet in his hand from the jet's emergency equipment, and was chopping indiscriminately at the Learjet's wing. In his blind state he had no real clue if he was hitting his target, but the reporter guessed he was attempting to breach a fuel line or worse the actual inner wing's tank.

Chloe gripped her club so tightly that her knuckles started to turn white. In Richard's paranoid state he could be incredibly strong, but he had to be stopped. "Okay, so now I get to use my five-iron on a goofball, not a golf ball!" She tried to psyche herself up with humor, and then made a run for the door and the still cussing pilot. "Richard, wait! We need that fuel if we're to ever get home!"

"We need to destroy the plane, girl! Destroy any evidence that we're here or they'll get us!" Richard continued to swing wildly with the axe, sometimes missing the wing altogether, sometimes tearing into the metal with a grunt as he exerted his muscles to their limits, "If the radiation doesn't get us Lionel Luthor will!" Perspiration streamed from his brow into his colourless eyes and he blinked, but didn't pause.

"You crazy fool you'll kill us all if you destroy the plane!" Chloe screamed and grabbed Richard's arm, trying desperately to pull him away without hitting him with the club, but he elbowed her in the face surprisingly accurately for a blind man.

Chloe toppled backwards and landed heavily. The club was jarred from her hand as she hit the ground and before she could grab it back, the pilot was upon her. Somehow, his ears were compensating pretty well for his lack of sight, and he'd pinpointed her position on the rough soil easily. He dropped down onto his knees, straddling Chloe's stomach, and she wriggled helplessly beneath his weight.

"Wha…what are you going to do?"

Richard's mouth curled into a sneer as he cocked his head towards the sound of her petrified voice, "You must already be suffering from the radiation…better to put you out of your misery now than to let you suffer for days in misery…"

Chloe's eyes bulged as she saw the axe in the pilot's hand being slowly held aloft ready for a death blow. "No! I'm not sick! Please!" She focused on the now damaged edge of the tool where it had been chipped from countless impacts with the jet's wing. It wasn't anything she wanted to get hit by any time soon, "Richard, I don't deserve to die like this! I'll take my chances with the radiation, please!" she squirmed more until he used his free hand to search out her throat and push her head hard into the ground.

"Better to stay still, girlie." He shivered with anticipation, "Just think what it will be like if I don't finish you with the first swing…"

Clark stared at the illusion before him for a few more minutes and then shook himself. Whatever or whoever this person was made no difference. The goal of coming here hadn't changed- he had to find Lex.

_So where would you head first, Lex? _Clark let his eyes slip into x-ray mode and began to systematically scour the buildings, starting with Dr. Ford's old labs first. Inside the research area had changed considerably since Clark had been there last, but it was obvious it was still being used as more than just a fertilizer plant's laboratory. More military guards walked along the passageways, and in the main section a huge machine had taken up a colossal amount of space. It was like nothing Clark had ever seen before, at least not outside of movies.

He honed in with his hearing to try and determine more about the complex, but all that he could discern from the two scientists on duty was a bunch of figures and techno-babble about 'the generator.' _So, where is Lex, and did he know about this?_ _Has this 'generator' got us all hallucinating again? _

Footsteps reverberated down the freshly cleaned passageway outside the lab, and Clark had to readjust his hearing to compensate for the attenuated sound. He zeroed in on the source, and wasn't surprised to see Lionel breezing towards the lab. What did surprise the teen, however, was the amount of hair the Luthor had. It was as if he'd never had his head shaved in prison.

Lionel barked a few orders to a subordinate and then headed for an office in the far corner of the testing room. Clark squinted again and the office's walls disappeared to allow a view of Lionel leaning over a desk quite curiously. Then, he spoke even though there appeared to be no one else in the room.

"Prey tell me how you were created?" A devious smirk crossed the businessman's features and he slid his hands in his trouser pockets as he circled the desk, "And to what purpose? I can see the benefits as far as industrial espionage is concerned due to your size, but why in the image of my son?"

Clark quickly refocused his vision to the desktop. It didn't take a genius to work out that Lex was probably on it. "Ugh oh…"

The tiny billionaire had been strapped down to the table with a piece of duck tape and was now squirming helplessly beneath it. As Clark watched, his friend glared at the giant who was his father. "I'm no copy! I'm your son, Alexander. Can't you see it's your own experiment that made me this size?"

Lionel laughed and rubbed at the bottom of his beard. "I'm afraid the real Lex left for Metropolis this morning via the Luthorcorp helicopter. I personally watched it take off." He leaned in close, letting his huge, hawk-like orbs pierce his captive's soul, "Now then, why don't we begin with who you really work for, how you were created, and what corporate secrets you were sent to retrieve."

"I'm your son, I came here in the hope of help, not imprisonment, but I should have known if you're in charge to expect nothing more than suspicion and mistrust!"

Lionel turned and opened a desk draw, pulling out something from a tray of equipment. Lex's eyes fixed on the edge of the scalpel and watched it as Lionel wafted it in the air like a tiny rapier. "If you were my son you'd know how skilful I can be with a blade. So, where shall we begin?"

"I can't tell you anything I don't know." Lex tugged at the duck tape, keeping his gaze away from Lionel, "Not that I would in any case, dear father. I learned how to play your little mind games years ago, and I've grown tired of them. Perhaps you'll simply murder me now like you did my grandparents."

Lionel paused for just a second at the emotional hatred in his prisoner's voice. It couldn't be Lex, and yet there was some unmistakable likeness that defied logic. "Suppose I was to believe that you are somehow my son. I would, of course require some rational explanation…"

Lex laughed mockingly. "I might have been willing to trust someone at Luthorcorp with that information, Dad, but that someone isn't you."

Lionel smirked, "Very well, I'll just have to retrieve it the old fashioned way, won't I _Lex_?" The mocking inflection to his voice made it quite clear he still didn't think the person on the table was truly his son, and he stooped over, brandishing the scalpel until Clark couldn't see what he was doing with it without x-raying through the table top.

The blade was scraping dangerously close to Lex's thigh. "No!" Clark knew revealing himself was reckless, but how else could he stop Lionel from cutting up his friend like a lab animal.

The tiny cry however went by unnoticed by Lionel, and Clark was forced to re-evaluate the situation. "If he can't hear my voice…" He supersped up to the lofty Luthor and began swinging on the bottom of his left trouser leg.

Amazingly, Lionel was still far too immersed in his torture session to notice, and Clark's acute auditory skills picked up a miniature scream from Lex as his own father sliced him with the scalpel. The yelp of pain was far too much for the teenager to bear and he retaliated with his own form of torment.

"Let's see how you like your own brand of suffering…" Clark let go of the expensive trouser leg and focused his heat vision on the material. In seconds, Lionel had forgotten about Lex and was trying desperately to swat out the growing flame on his trousers.

As he finally got the mini-blaze under control he spotted the perpetrator and his eyes widened. "Another one!"

Clark stood with his arms folded defiantly in front of his chest and made no attempt to escape. When Lionel swooped down and grabbed him in a fist, he still showed no signs of using his abilities. This was all part of his newly founded plan to distract Lionel, and get up on the desk all in one move.

Lionel held the teen in his hand, keeping his fingers clasped around his captive's torso to prevent escape. His eyes narrowed as he recognized the new pocket-sized person. "Why if it isn't the young Clark Kent," he squeezed a little, "Don't tell me, you're the real Clark, and you're not here to spy?" He increased the pressure, unaware he wasn't hurting his victim, "Tell me who and what you are or I cut your mini- Lex friend a little more."

"Clark, no! Don't tell him anything! He'll still kill us. He can't see what his ill-timed experiment has caused!" Lex writhed on the table, but couldn't really see what was happening because Lionel was standing too far behind his incapacitated form.

Clark smiled impishly at Lionel and his eyes danced cheekily. "Lex's right. You'll kill me anyway, or worse make me a lab rat. So do your worst!" He made the words sound so taunting that he knew Lionel would react.

Not only had his pride been hurt when Clark had burned him, but now he was being goaded by someone not even six inches tall. Lionel's temper cracked just as Clark had hoped it would, and he tossed his young prisoner across the desktop like a discarded pen.

Clark skidded on the recently polished oak surface and his skull slammed into the edge of a computer keyboard to the right of where Lex lay. After the initial impact he remained motionless, and Lionel bent forward to admire his handy work. "It would seem your young friend doesn't know me as well as he should, _Lex._" He offered sarcastically, "Perhaps when I return from replacing my trousers you'll see the light before it's too late for you too."

Lex huffed, suddenly feeling as helpless as the day he'd been strapped to the table during the electro-shock therapy at Belle Reve- Lionel had peered at him in just the same condescending way. "If you've hurt Clark…"

Lionel sneered and felt the bottom of his beard again in mock thought, "You'll what, Lex?" He laughed, and then tore of another strip of duck tape, securing a lifeless Clark to the desk behind Lex. "Don't worry, I'll be back for answers before you bleed to death," He laughed again as he sauntered out the door, leaving his pseudo-son alone with his unresponsive friend.

"Clark! Clark, wake up!" Lex wriggled more, but because of the way Lionel had positioned them both he couldn't see Clark or how badly he was hurt. He glanced down instead to his own thigh where Lionel had nicked it with the scalpel. Blood had soaked his trouser leg already, and there was no way he could apply any pressure to staunch it. It was somehow poetic, but he sensed they would both die right here on the desk at Lionel's hand and no one would mourn them. _If Clark isn't already dead, that was a bad crack he took to the head… _

_TBC..._


	7. Chimera Part 7

_As always, thanks to everyone who has taken time to review this. I'm glad you're enjoying the fun :)_

Clark waited until he heard the latch on the door firmly close and then opened his eyes. He looked down at the silver tape that had been placed over his body to hold him in place, and then glanced back to see if Lex had any view of what was happening. The teen couldn't be sure, but it looked like his rich friend couldn't see too much of what he was doing.

Flexing one arm outwards, Clark tore the duck tape from the table and his jacket, and clambered up, "It's okay, Lex. I'm okay." He tried to sound reassuring and a little wobbly at the same time.

Just a moment ago he was supposed to have taken a knock to the head and he didn't want Lex getting any suspicions- after all, he had still had no idea of what was going on or who was ultimately behind it.

Lex craned his head at the sound of Clark's voice and began to wriggle again, wondering how his friend had so easily escaped his bonds. "How did you get the tape off?" He asked looking up as Clark kneeled at his side, "I haven't been able to budge it, and I didn't get tossed across the desk like you did."

Clark shrugged and began to tug at the tape secured to the table top, trying to make it look like he was having difficulty, while also attempting to hurry. "I guess your dad thought I was out cold and didn't press the tape down hard enough," The usual sheepish smile appeared and he crossed the subject off, looking down at Lex's thigh in concern, "We have to get you out of here."

Lex sat up cautiously as the duck tape gave way to Clark's handy work and he was freed. He winced as the movement jarred his already throbbing leg, and then nodded his thanks to his friend. "Clark Kent to the rescue yet again. Why am I not surprised?" He raised a brow.

Clark ignored the comment and jogged over to a small desk tidy to grab a tissue. He ripped off two sections and pressed them over Lex's still bleeding leg until he winced. "Sorry…" Clark apologized, "But we need to patch you up and make a run for it." He held one hand over the clean slice-wound and unfastened his belt with the other, carefully wrapping it around the tissue and then tightening it in place.

Lex grimaced but managed not to yelp. "When I left you looked like you were dying. How did you recover and follow me so fast?"

Again Clark shrugged. "I felt better not long after you left. Chloe told me your theory, but I don't think it was radiation that made me sick. Maybe it was something I ate while I was back at the farm." He stood, offering Lex a hand up. _Why do I always have to make excuses when I know very well what made me sick. I hate having to tell white lies. _

Lex took the offer and was tugged upright. He bounced on the ball of his foot, balancing precariously on his one good leg, while clinging to Clark's shoulder with his right hand. "You think the food isn't safe here?"

Clark steadied his friend and looked around the room for an escape route. He also tuned his ears briefly to the outside corridor, but so far there was no sign of the return of Lionel or any of his henchmen. "It's more than the food, Lex. Something is way off base." He scowled, unsure how to make his next statement without sounding crazy, "There are marines guarding Luthorcorp and…well one of them is Whitney." Clark stared Lex right in the eye, "Tell me you didn't continue that experiment making people relive their fears? Tell me we're not having some group hallucination."

Lex paused. It was all fitting into place now, but not the way he thought it would. Oh no, this was much worse. He wiped perspiration from his forehead with the back of his free hand and wondered how to prove his new theory. "Trust me, Clark, if I'm right we're not hallucinating, but the question is how do I substantiate my assumption?" Lex glanced at the computer keyboard and then the monitor. From the light on the front of the screen the system was on stand by and a simple press of a key would reactivate it.

Clark followed Lex's gaze and looked at his friend expectantly. "You think we can find out what your dad is up to on there before he gets back?"

Lex hobbled forward and Clark kept pace with him, keeping most of the millionaire's weight off his still oozing leg. "Let's find out. Hit a key, Clark, and see who fortune favors…"

Clark helped Lex perch on the edge of the office phone's handset and then pushed hard down on the space bar on the keyboard. The flat panel monitor instantly sparked into life, revealing a bizarre image of a grotesque creature, its three dimensional form rotating around the screen as if taunting the viewer. The teen shook his head in confusion as he tried to discern just what the thing was. It appeared to have the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent.

"Chimera…" Lex's pallid features turned a shade whiter as he mouthed the name.

Clark turned at the whispered term. "What is it?" He already suspected he wouldn't like the answer.

Lex leaned forward and rubbed his temple as pain from his thigh began to get the better of him. "It's a triple edged sword, Clark. A project that was begun for the military, and then spiralled out of control until my father had to order it shut down before I even came to the Smallville plant."

Clark shook his head and looked back at the fire breathing beast on the screen. "I don't understand? How can it have been shut down, and what about our size, and Whitney?"

Lex pinched the brow of his nose and began a swift lesson in mythology, praying his father didn't come back and interrupt before they solved the puzzle. "The project's purpose was to create a kind of field generator that would be able to dissolve enemy weapons, aircraft, missiles and any other ordinance at a molecular level. It sounded pretty outrageous until I read some of the files on it. The problem was, once they test fired the generator the project head realized they'd uncovered some pretty strange results. From that day they gave it the new name of 'Project Chimera.'"

"So what was so earth- shattering, and why did it get shut down?" Clark asked impatiently.

"Chimera is a Greek legend. A mythical creature that actually combined more than one animal- a very dangerous beast as you can see from its likeness," Lex pointed to the still rotating picture, "The project also combined some pretty dangerous elements hence its new given name."

"It made things small instead of destroying them?" Clark wanted to say mythology had never been his strong point, but he remained quiet after his question.

Lex inhaled and looked to the door as a sentry walked by it. When they were in the clear he continued, "No, Clark, the items the generator was focused on completely vanished- but they hadn't been destroyed. Serge Dvorkin, the project leader, discovered they'd been transmitted elsewhere…and I don't mean on this plane of existence. It somehow opens a hole and pushes its target through it."

Clark's mouth opened and his eyes widened as he realized just what 'Chimera' had done, "You're saying it moves objects to other dimensions?" _That would explain Whitney, my parents' attitude and Lionel's hair…_

"From what I read of Dvorkin's work he was convinced of it. Scientists realized some time ago that superstring theory, hyperspace and dark matter lead to more than just the three dimensions mankind originally believed in. There are actually eleven dimensions, Clark. By the time scientists had finished they'd come to the conclusion that our Universe is just one bubble among an infinite number of membranous bubbles which ripple as they travel through the eleventh dimension. If this is the case they could be an infinite number of parallel universes and we could be in one."

"So why did the government let such an important experiment get closed down?" Clark was following how Luthorcorp's people had discovered other parallel worlds, but he didn't see the problem.

"Imagine what might happen if two of these universes touched." Lex was trying to keep a very difficult subject in easy terms, "If that happened there would be one hell of an explosion. Some physicists even believe that is where the 'big bang' theory evolved from. 'Chimera' was opening a hole and almost physically connecting parallel worlds. It was far too dangerous to continue…"

"And yet your father has!" Clark looked down to the desktop wondering what came next.

"No, Clark," Lex licked his lips, "My father is back in Smallville continuing his crusade to help the needy. The man we met today is his doppelganger. We all have them here. That's why you saw Whitney. I can only assume the Lionel of this world is even more reckless in pursuit of his goals than my own dad is."

Clark walked away from the screen and stood before Lex. "So, you're saying that there's a copy of me walking around here too?" Lex nodded, "And why did we get so small?" The teen might be from another world, but he was having a hard time accepting that he was now in one.

"I can't be sure of this, but I don't think we are," Lex tried to stand and Clark once again took his weight. Together they made it back across to the keyboard. "I think everything in this parallel universe is larger," Lex panted from the exertion.

Clark winced, "Please tell me you know of a way to get us back? You've read the project notes after all."

Lex pointed back to the huge plastic computer keys, "From what we know I'm going to guess my father had the generator fired in this universe. It must have opened a hole directly to our version of Smallville, and Richard flew unsuspectingly straight through it. The only way I can see we could get back is to fly right back through the epicenter of where the generator is aimed."

Clark nodded. "And for that we need for it to be fired up again," The teen clambered directly onto the keyboard's slippery silver surface and then jumped onto the enter key. It seemed weird and yet funny somehow to be playing word hopscotch on a keyboard like this and he smiled. "Do you know the password?"

Lex nodded. "Try Belepharon, and if it works scroll straight down to project test schedule."

Clark followed his instructions with a few more leaps across the keys. The monitor flashed several times as it changes screens, and then settled right where Lex had expected it would. A list of times and dates appeared next to links to Dvorkin's notes. "The next test firing is scheduled in two days. Same co ordinates. That means we have to get the plane ready to fly again by then or we're stuck here!" Clark's eyes widened.

"If we can repair the plane and make some kind of flat enough runway by then." Even the die hard Lex appeared crestfallen, "Clark, I'll be of little help even if we escape here because of my leg. We just can't do it in that amount of time."

_But you don't know about my gifts…_Clark looked up at the monitor as another thought came to mind- a thought about the whole of humanity in both parallel worlds, and of how they were all in mortal danger. "Lex, from what you said, every time they fire the generator they could effectively end the Universe, right?"

Lex nodded, rubbing his temple again. "It's a complex theory, but yes."

"Then we have to stop Lionel continuing the project here!" The teen looked pleadingly at his friend, "Is there a way to make them realize what they're doing is wrong, or stop the generator?"

"We could set the generator to overload the next time it fires…" Lex thought back to all the files and data he had read on the subject, little realizing he might need to utilize it one day. "But if we do that and we can't get the Learjet operational in time…"

Clark didn't care. It wasn't just the weight of one world on his shoulders now- it was the weight of many. "Lex!" There was obvious disappointment in the timbre of his voice, "If we get stuck here but save millions it's a small price to pay!" He glanced back at the main 'Chimera' menu on screen, "Can you do it?"

"If it overloads there will be a domino effect and the generator will shut down. If it shuts down Dvorkin might start double checking his results…" Lex pointed to a sub menu on the far right of the screen, "Get me into that list of options. I'll alter the parameters and cause the overload, then leave Dvorkin a message in his test results files. Hopefully our warning will be enough to get him to shut down the project."

Clark bounced on yet more keys and accessed the secure generator firing controls. There was another password prompt, followed by two security questions. A minute later they were finally in the right sector. The teen looked expectantly at his rich friend, waiting for the instructions on how to make the project fail. It was easily apparent Lex was somewhat reluctant to cut off his only way home should they not make it when Luthorcorp made the last test fire.

Eventually, Lex's conscience and Clark's constant glancing at the door in urgency made him give way. He read out a list of settings to alter and hoped his memory had served him well- after Belle Reve he sometimes had to convince himself twice.

Clark tapped away, entering the numbers followed by their urgent message to Dr. Dvorkin. "All done." He announced, scurrying back to the phone where Lex still rested. "Now we have to find a way down off the table. We can't have long before Lionel comes back now." Clark squinted and kicked into x-ray mode to assure himself, and was alarmed to see Lionel and two marines hastening towards the nearby corridor from the main lab. Time had just run out. _I can't tell Lex what I've seen! How on earth do we get out of this one?_

Chloe screamed as the pilot began to bring the bright red axe down with his full weight. He still held tightly to her throat to pin her head to the ground, but Chloe had however got the use of her legs. Acting without even really thinking, the small blonde brought her knee up straight in the pilot's groin.

Richard faltered and then howled as the pain of her attack seeped in. He dropped his weapon and rolled off of Chloe as his dead eyes watered to the extreme. The only action he seemed capable of making was to curl into a ball in agony.

Chloe didn't waste a moment. She clambered to her feet and quickly grasped the golf club that had fallen from her hand earlier. She hovered over the stricken man, unsure what to do. _I can't just hit him over the head!_

Richard growled like a wild thing and reached a shaking hand back out for the axe. The pain Chloe had caused was now dissipating into a dull throb, and served only to make him angrier at his foe.

"No!" Chloe yelled as his sweat covered palm closed over the weapon's handle, and she ran forward lunging at his forearm with her club.

The iron struck the pilot hard, but he refused to drop the axe. He rolled sideways, dodging a second blow from the reporter, and retaliating with a swipe of his own. The axe narrowly missed Chloe's left ear and sank deeply into the metal of the Learjet.

_Great, this is just like when Lana and I had that axe fight in school…_

Richard tugged with both hands at his weapon's handle, but it was jammed solid in the fuselage. He cursed and spun around, listening intently to hear Chloe's position from her rapid breathing. "Come on, girlie, you know it's for the best!"

"Yeah, well my idea of what's best is obviously not yours!" Chloe swung her golf club hard, this time fully intending to whack the pilot as hard as she could.

The tip of the iron bounced off of Richard's skull with a dull thud and without thinking she lashed out again. A splatter of blood splashed across Chloe's face and she instantly recoiled, almost dropping her weapon at what her own act had caused.

Richard's white eyes rolled back and he fell forward, hitting the earth at Chloe's feet like a ton weight. He didn't move, and Chloe couldn't see if he was breathing or not. _Way to go, Sullivan. You killed someone! Now I know how Lana felt when she pitch-forked that dude in the Kent barn. _

Chloe swallowed slowly but didn't drop her guard entirely. Her stomach was swirling and she felt a little sick, but not enough not to realize Richard could be faking it to get her close.

She edged forward, stooping slightly to try and check for a pulse without compromising her own safety. In the end though, she began to shake and decided to prod the pilot's prone form with the end of her club instead. He didn't moan or move. _I really killed him…_

_TBC..._


	8. Chimera Part 8

While Clark was scoping out the hallway, Lex had already begun to look for an escape route. He tugged at his friend's arm, pulling Clark from his searching gaze. "The phone cable! It runs all the way down the back of the desk to a socket near the floor. You should be able to climb down it."

Clark scurried to the edge of the desk and peered warily down. Lex was right. The cable had been hidden from view, and would make a great makeshift rope to escape down. "Come on, we can both get down this way."

Lex shook his head and remained seated on the rim of the phone casing. He looked more fatigued with every minute. "I can't climb with my leg." He held tightly onto his thigh, emphasizing just how bad it was.

"Then you can hang on to me. I'm not leaving you here, Lex, so forget that option!" Clark hastened back to the bald businessman and offered an arm. "Come on."

Lex nodded and gave in to the ever- heroic farm boy. He had no real desire to get diced by his father again, but didn't want to see Clark put in that position either by wasting time trying to help him. "Once we get down to the floor I'm going to be a burden. You'll never get out of the building with me tagging along…"

Clark ignored the remark and looked again over the edge of the desk as they reached it. He still hated looking down, even though his fear of heights wasn't what it used to be. "Let's hope the phone is heavy enough not to get dragged across the table with our combined weight." He picked up the thin white cable and tugged on it using a little super-strength. The phone didn't budge. "Time to see how good a climber I am."

Lex smirked and then followed Clark over the thick wooden ledge of the desk, wrapping his arms around his friend in a desperate bear hug. He knew it wasn't going to be easy for the teen to hold on with the extra weight putting untold stress on his arms, but then Lex didn't know just how strong Clark really was.

Halfway down, Clark paused and glanced quickly over his shoulder, his eyes dancing with concern. "Are you alright?"

Lex nodded, "Never better. Now can you just get us down?" He panted out the words, and Clark noted fresh beads of perspiration on his forehead simply from the effort of hanging on.

The teen didn't like the look of his friend, and used his legs to bounce off the side of the wooden desk, letting the cable slip quickly through his hands as he abseiled rapidly to the floor. _If Lex asks how my hands aren't burned I'll be in real trouble. _

Lex never noticed his friend's miraculous feat. Instead, as soon as Clark's tan boots hit the carpeted floor, he let go of his tenuous hold on the teen and collapsed into a heap. "I can't walk, Clark. I can't even stand…" His head lolled against the desk leg, and it looked like it wouldn't be long before the hurt entrepreneur lost consciousness.

Clark peered worriedly at the door. There was only one way in or out and Lionel was about to come through it. Once he spotted their absence from the table it wouldn't take long to discover them unless they found a suitable shelter. For now, all he could spot was a small crevice between the office printer and the wheeled metal trolley it rested on. Thinking quickly, Clark grabbed Lex's arm and hoisted him over his shoulder in a fireman's lift. Lex groaned but didn't seem to be aware what was going on anymore. _He must have lost a lot of blood…_

Clark turned his back to the door and supersped to the trolley, grateful that Lex was no longer aware of what was going on. It wasn't a nice sensation to be thankful his friend was hurt, but at least now maybe Clark could use his abilities more easily to save them.

He squeezed hard, pushing his body and Lex's between the gap left by the HP unit and its metal home. Then, just as he thought he'd hidden their presence from view, the office door creaked open.

Clark inhaled and held his breath, hoping that Lex didn't choose the moment to groan or mumble. The teen expected a roar of anger from Lionel followed by the guards with him ransacking the room to find them.

At first there was nothing, and the teen was tempted to turn and try and see what was going on. Finally, the familiar and gut wrenchingly evil voice of Lionel boomed across the room. "Ah, Mr. Kent…just what do you think you're doing?"

Chloe waited another few minutes before she plucked up the courage to approach the pilot again. Murder wasn't something she wanted on her résumé, and it was hard to accept she may have killed him. _Now wait, I hit him in self defense! Besides, if we're stuck here forever I won't be needing a résumé! _

She kneeled, breathing hard as her heart raced in her chest. "You're too pig-headed to be dead, Richard…"

""How right you are, my dear!" Richard's left arm shot out and caught Chloe's as she attempted to check on him. He yanked her down and she landed face first in the dirt at his side.

"Why you!" Chloe screamed in anger and suddenly wished she'd hit the crazed man even harder instead of not at all. She rolled over and noted blood still dripped from his head, and her temper calmed. _He's still dizzy. He can't even stand!_ "Don't make me hit you again!"

The school reporter jumped back up and brandished her club, slowly circling her prey. He seemed strangely accepting of the fact that she would hit him again, and simply sat on his knees waiting for the blow. When it didn't come, he turned his head wildly about, searching out her position. "Finish me! We're all dead anyway. I don't want to spend my last days, blind and trapped in this God forsaken place!" His yelps seemed almost pitiful and after awhile he began to sob, falling down onto his elbows and burying his face in the soft earth.

Chloe winced and almost felt sorry for him_. I have to keep this situation under control. I have to get him secured and in the plane somehow till Clark gets back…If he gets back._

She licked her lips and backed up until she reached the Learjet's steps. She was sure she'd seen a roll of tape in the back earlier, and right now it would be something practical to secure the pilot with. "Now where the heck did I spot it?" Chloe rummaged through a collection of items they'd gathered, keeping a watchful eye on the door and the side window. From what she could see, Richard hadn't moved.

Eventually, she discovered the tape among the food items and rolled her eyes as she recalled who had been given the duty of putting emergency supplies into some kind of order. "Clark, you're a great hero, but a lousy quartermaster!" She smiled as his name conjured up the image of a farm boy grinning goofily, and then she jogged back down to where Richard still lay in some kind of psychotic stupor. "Now we do this the easy way, or the hard way, big boy. Which is it going to be?"

Clark forced his body to turn and face Lionel. He imagined the bearded villain would be leaning down staring at him with his usual malevolent grin, but he was not. Lionel was standing in the doorway, with the two marines waiting in the hall behind him. What was more frightening was that Lionel wasn't looking at Clark at all- at least, not the Clark that was wedged between the office printer.

Clark's mouth opened and he looked up to over a six foot version of himself. _He…I can't be here. There was no one in the hall but Lionel and the soldiers when I looked…_The teen thought about the situation again and realized that his over-sized counterpart had all the speed he did, and had probably used it to get in the room_. So, what is he doing here?_

"I was looking for Lex. He told me he'd be here this afternoon…" The huge Clark looked sheepishly at Lionel and then stuffed his hands characteristically in his pockets, "I didn't expect all the soldiers to be here…"

Lionel snorted, "Evidently, young man, or you wouldn't have tried to so flagrantly breach Luthorcorp security!" He turned to the nearest marine, "Which, I might add does not seem to have been improved by the presence of US military forces." The billionaire's eyes narrowed to points and he set his gaze on the teen before him, "Just how did you get in here?"

"The security gate was open. I had no idea something was going on…" Big Clark still didn't look Lionel in the eye, indicating he knew more than he was saying. "Um…maybe I should get back to school. I have a class in thirty minutes. I'll catch up with Lex later."

Lionel thought about it. His deepest instincts told him to hold the teen, but even with Chimera due for another test fire in two days, he really didn't have any grounds without proof the teen had been snooping. "Don't let me catch you here again, Clark, with or without Lex's permission. Or I might have to take measures to insure national security hasn't been breached." He whirled to glare at the marine at the edge of the door, "Escort him to the hallway security scanner!"

The soldier nodded, taking orders from the civilian as if he were the commander in chief. He readied his weapon, signaling to Clark that he better move now or face the consequences. The teen did as he was told, even though he could have taken the soldier before he could have even blinked.

Little Clark watched in mesmerized fascination. Looking upon a towering version of himself was like seeing his own personality in its true light for the first time. He was shy, he was sheepish and he was awkward. _Am I really like this? _There was little time to wonder now though, because his doppelganger could be their only way out. So far, Lionel had been so busy he hadn't noted his captives had vanished from the table top. That wouldn't last long once the distraction was gone.

Little Clark grabbed Lex and threw him back over his shoulder, hoping his friend didn't grunt at being handled so roughly. Lex remained silent, which was almost as worrying.

"Okay, let's see if my speed can get us out of here…" Heading for the open door like a speeding freight train, Clark zipped between Lionel's highly polished shoes and out into the corridor. He slowed, glancing to his left in time to spot his larger self being shepherded through some kind of metal detector like they used at airports.

It was a risk to take, but little Clark decided to trust his instincts. _I have to believe the me of this world is a good person. _He cranked back up his speed and rocketed to the scanner just as big Clark was walking through. The scanner beeped and the larger farmboy sighed and handed over the Kent family truck's keys.

Satisfied, the guard on duty nodded and indicated Clark was free to leave the building. He handed the teen back his key fob and reset his scanning device ready for his next person out.

Big Clark pulled a face and decided to head for the nearest exit before the marine changed his mind. He turned a corner in the corridor and then paused as he thought he heard someone whisper his name. The sound was terribly faint, but the young super-teen's ears missed nothing.

"Clark! Down here!" The voice came again, and it was frighteningly familiar. It was the sound of his own voice. He glanced down and had to take a step back in surprise at what he saw. _My eyes must be playing tricks on me. Maybe my x-ray vision is glitching somehow… _

"Who…what are you?" He finally asked.

Little Clark panicked. Now that he had his doppelganger's attention he had no clue how to explain what was going on. He had to be fast before Lionel began to yell about his prisoners escape. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but I'm really you, and um, this is really Lex. We came here by accident from a different plane of existence and now Lionel wants to use us as guinea pigs!"

Big Clark stooped down and examined the two tiny people before him. Little Clark guessed he was probably using his x-ray vision to check them out. The taller teen eventually shook his head, "This can't be…you can't be real…"

"Look, any second now security alarms are going to scream and this place is going to be locked down tighter than a prison," Little Clark tried to be assertive, "Lionel already cut Lex pretty badly. Do you want his death on your hands? I know you're not that kind of person. Even if you don't believe who and what we are, you won't let us be hurt. It's not in your nature." It was easy to play on a person's conscience when you knew them so well, and the tiny teen played his double like a harp.

Big Clark finally nodded and looked behind him to make sure no one was approaching, "Once I get you out of here I want an explanation…" He scooped up Clark and Lex and gently lowered them into the breast pocket of his red jacket.

The pair landed softly on a handkerchief and felt motion as their new 'ride' began to jog through the corridors to the exit. Little Clark used the brief respite from danger to check on Lex.

He lightly shook his friend's arm, "Lex? Lex, can you hear me?"

Lex squinted and blearily opened his eyes in confusion. He was obviously disorientated, but then who wouldn't be if they woke up in a giant pocket. "What happened? Just how much of this nightmare did I dream?" He gulped and grimaced as Big Clark jarred to a halt, "Where are we?"

"I um…thumbed a ride with a friend." Clark felt himself blush, "Well, with me in fact…"

Lex's moist brow raised in confusion, but he didn't have time to query his young friend's statement. From somewhere outside the huge cloth pouch they inhabited, a yell cut through the air followed by the screech of a blaring klaxon. Luthorcorp security had just gone to the equivalent of a red alert, and it wasn't exactly difficult to fathom out just who they were after.

Big Clark was so close to the main gate he thought about hitting superspeed, but he was unsure if the two tiny people in his pocket could be hurt if the guard opened fire. The smaller version of himself might still be bulletproof, but little Lex was probably not, and he was already injured. _I have to get out though! _

Before big Clark could think further a gun barrel was shoved harshly into the middle of his spine. He could feel the cold chill of the metal, and knew its owner was poised to fire.

"Hold it right there, Kent…"

The alternate universe Clark held his hands aloft as he was asked, knowing he had just probably gotten himself into something there was no way out of. _Lionel will have me and the two in my pocket as lab animal fodder before the day is through… _

_TBC..._


	9. Chimera Part 9

**_Please Note: I am on vacation next week, so the update will be late!_****_Many Thanks!_**

Clark turned around slowly and gulped. He knew the voice of his captor before their eyes even met. It was Whitney. Clark interlocked his fingers on top of his head and looked his old friend straight in the face with his most serious expression. "Whitney, you have to let me go…this isn't what it looks like."

Whitney looked uncertain, but kept his weapon trained at his prisoner. "Tell me what it is like then, Kent?"

"Lionel and the military are working on something dangerous. Something that could cause a major disaster," Clark looked over Whitney's shoulder, hoping no more soldiers appeared yet, "Lex told me to meet him here today about it. He said he needed my help, but when I arrived his dad had already shipped him off to Metropolis. Whitney, please!" He pleaded, making no mention of his small passengers.

The young marine faltered. He had been trained for these situations, but with an enemy he could distinguish as such, not with old school friends. Who could he really believe in? "Why should I trust you?" He glanced around as footfalls echoed across the concrete perimeter. They didn't have long now before reinforcements arrived.

"Because you trusted me once before with Lana," Clark couldn't adopt a more serious face, "At the dance you asked me to take care of her while you went off to basic training, even though you knew that I'd always had feelings for her. That took a lot of trust, Whitney. Did I let you down?" The teen itched to hit superspeed and almost rocked on the balls of his feet in hopeful anticipation, "Only this isn't over a girl…this is about countless lives…"

Whitney grimaced and finally capitulated, giving Clark the go ahead to run by jerking the barrel of his weapon towards the gate. "Get out of here, Clark…" There was a slight uncertainty to his order, and Clark began to dart away then hung back.

"I can't leave you to Lionel's wrath and a court marshal!"

"Then hit me!" Whitney gestured for Clark to hit him on the jaw, and when he hesitated the marine rolled his eyes, "Come on, Kent! You owe me at least one punch after I strung you up in that corn field!"

It was obvious Clark hated the idea, but with just enough measured force he slugged the ex-quarterback, knocking him out, and then hit superspeed at full throttle. Inside his pocket, little Clark and Lex could hear, but not see the proceedings. From the bumpy ride over the next two minutes they could both guess what was happening though. Big Clark was running for his life and theirs too.

After a further minute, Clark slowed and checked behind him. It was a futile, but natural reaction because no one could possibly have pursued him at his speed. He sighed with relief and glanced down to his pocket as he stopped near Loeb Bridge. In the very corner he could see a microscopic patch of reddish brown discoloration. Using his x-ray vision to double check, the mammoth teen's suspicions were verified when he spotted the tiny Lex Luthor still bleeding.

Hastily he pushed his hand into the pocket and gently lifted out his smaller self. "I think Lex is hurt badly."

Little Clark nodded, feeling slightly dizzy from standing in the palm of his 'own' hand. "He needs help, but we can't exactly take him to a doctor here. Can you carry us back to where our plane crash landed? Maybe Chloe can help fix him up…" It was a long shot. The reporter knew more about self defense and doing damage than she did fixing it, but they couldn't just stroll into Smallville Medical Center and ask for assistance either.

Big Clark grew somber again. His eyes narrowed and he found he had to have some kind of explanation before he got himself any deeper involved in what could well be a national security matter. "You promised you'd tell me what's going on, and I think now is the time before I do anything."

Little Clark thought about Lex, but realized he did owe his doppelganger something after he'd helped them escape Luthorcorp. He walked forward until he was almost at his double's wrist, feeling his boots sink into the soft, unblemished flesh.

Big Clark lifted his hand higher so it was easier to talk. "What's Lionel really up to?" His eyes sparked with inquisitiveness and also unease. "Are you really from another world?"

"Well…erm, we both are really, aren't we?" Both Clark's smiled widely at the tiny 'alien' joke, then little Clark tried to explain his theory, "Lionel is running an experiment that accidentally opens a doorway to other planes of existence. Lex, Chloe, me and our jet's pilot flew through one of these holes and found ourselves here. The problem is, every time Lionel fires his generator he risks ending the universe when the two dimensions meet!" He looked forlornly as Big Clark sported a confused look, "Lex and I have tried to stop the generator from firing after its last test in two days, but we have to try and get our plane airworthy by then or we'll never get back to out world. Can you help?"

The larger of the two farm boys appeared deep in thought. "What if Lionel doesn't stop the tests? You can't be sure what you've done will put an end to the experiment, can you?"

"No, but Lex gave it his best shot. Perhaps the Lex here can help too if you could get to him."

Big Clark nodded; suddenly realizing mankind could be in his hands. "Let's get you back to your plane and see what we can do for Lex, then we can take it from there." The teen had a thought, "Maybe I should take you home to the farm. Mom and dad would know what to do."

"No, I don't want to leave Chloe any longer." Little Clark looked towards the other side the bridge and to the swaying corn in the distance, "Our pilot kind of went Jack Nicholson on us with some weird 'The Shining' impression. He vanished from the cockpit, but if he's showed up again…"

Realization dawned on the larger Kent, "Chloe could be in danger!"

Little Clark shook his head. "Either that, or Richard will be regretting ever upsetting Smallville's snarkiest reporter…"

The tiny Learjet had never looked so good to little Clark as his large counterpart once again lifted him from his pocket. There was no one outside, and from his high vantage point Clark couldn't spot any signs of Richard in the vicinity.

Becoming curious, little Clark scrutinized the aircraft more closely and spotted new dints and gouges in the airframe. His heart began to throb hard and fast in his chest at what that might mean, and without even thinking he kicked into x-ray vision.

Inside, he found Chloe typing away at her laptop, while Richard the pilot had been taped securely to his previous window seat with at least half a roll of duck tape. Clark sighed with relief. "Chloe's okay." He told the concerned, taller version of himself, "It looks like Richard might have felt her wrath though." He flashed his legendary, cheeky farmboy grin and hopped to the ground as big Clark carefully lowered his hand near to the jet. "Can you lower Lex near the door and I'll pull him in?"

Big Clark glanced over his shoulder and then nodded, gently probing his pocket for the wounded businessman. Once Lex was in his palm, he held his hand adjacent to the Learjet's door until little Clark was in position to grab his friend. Using his immense strength, the tiny teen soon had Lex on board as Chloe raced towards them both.

"What happened?" Chloe looked to Clark and then to Lex who was barely conscious, "You two look like you've had an even worse day than me, and believe me that's not an easy accomplishment!" She stopped dead in the middle of her rant and gaped at the open doorway. Being in another dimension was one thing, but being stared at by a giant Clark Kent who was now grinning at her was more than even Chloe could take.

"Chloe, can you see if you can find the first aid kit?" Little Clark's words should have gotten through, but the reporter still had trouble making her legs work. "I um…sure, I think it might be in the back." Eventually, she pushed her muscles to work and managed to stop staring at the most handsome giant she'd ever seen. Words, however, still escaped her.

While Chloe rummaged yet again for any form of medical supplies, little Clark jogged back to the doorway and looked up at himself. It still seemed so unnatural, he considered the idea that he was hallucinating again before he spoke.

"We're going to do what we can for Lex, then I have to try and fix up the plane," Clark looked at the torn and jagged metal holes in the wings and wondered if he could somehow fix them. In the end, he would have to try, "Is there any way you could find something I could use to weld over those holes?" He gestured with a hand and big Clark took a look at the damage.

He thought about what they had on the farm that might actually be thin enough and then nodded, "I think I know where I can get something. Are you going to try and weld it with your heat vision?"

"Yeah, if I don't burn an even bigger hole in the plane when I attempt it!" Little Clark appeared uncertain he could manage such a precise job. He was no more an aircraft technician than Chloe was a medic. "Then that leaves us with lack of fuel. I don't suppose…"

Big Clark grinned. "I'm pretty sure I can get some of that too. Will a mug full be enough?"

"As long as it's not dad's mug you use! You know he loves that mug!" They both laughed again and big Clark nodded in agreement. It seemed that Jonathan Kent was the same no matter what universe he lived in. "I'll try and make a start on clearing a runway while you're gone too. We're running out of time."

The larger teen checked his watch and wondered if he was now on Lionel's wanted list. That was of no concern right now though. "I'll be back as soon as I can, but I have a feeling Luthorcorp might have the military searching for me now." He didn't linger to wait for a response, but vanished as little Clark watched. It was an eye-opening sight, because the only other time he'd witnessed someone using superspeed was when he'd stumbled upon Bart Allen. That had been an adventure in itself.

"Clark! You better get in here!" Chloe's high pitched voice broke the memory of better times, and the teen turned his back on the Goliath-sized world to help his friend.

Chloe had reclined Lex's multi-positional and highly expensive seat so that he was almost lying down. His head lay to one side on a pillow she'd placed under it, and his eyes were closed. "Clark, I'm not a nurse I have no idea what else to do!"

"Did you find a first aid kit?" Clark leaned over and checked on the makeshift bandage he'd applied back at Luthorcorp. Blood had soaked it, but the flow did seem to have at last slowed.

"I found one," She waved the small green box in the air, "but I don't think there's much in it for that sized wound. What the hell happened to him?" While she waited for a reply she opened up the kit anyway and began to sift through its contents. There were a few larger dressings, but nothing they could clean the cut with.

"Lionel decided to try using us for a little swordplay." Clark's dour expression said it wasn't something he really wanted to go over in detail. All he wanted right now was to be sure Lex was going to be okay, but that was an assurance he wasn't going to get until Lex woke up.

He watched Lex's slightly ragged breathing for a few seconds and then began gathering all their blankets. For a start, someone in shock needed to be kept warm, that much he did know. When he'd completed that task he used his x-ray vision to look beneath the paper tissue and belt on Lex's thigh. Getting a clear view of the wound without disturbing it seemed like the right thing to do.

Clark pulled an expression that said he felt queasy, "Chloe, I think he needs stitches…"

"You don't say!" Chloe put her hands on her hips disdainfully, "I could have told you that with the amount of blood." She bit her lip, "Don't you dare look at me that way, Clark Kent! Even if we had something to use there is no way I'm sewing up Lex's leg!"

"Chloe!" The teen looked towards the back of the jet, "We can't just let him bleed to death!" He sighed, "I don't suppose a needle and thread would be something Lex would carry around with him anyway, though."

Chloe gave in. "I just happen to have one in my purse." She admitted reluctantly.

"You carry a needle and thread around with you?" Clark raised a brow and grabbed the reporter's bag before she could argue her case against sewing up Lex. "Mace I expected, but a girlie item..." He smiled mischievously and got a scowl in return.

"Yeah, well you never know when you might have to perform surgery on a millionaire." Chloe's mocking tone made it quite clear she was not happy, "There's no kind of antiseptic or disinfectant we can use in this kit. How are we going to clean him up?" She delved in the first aid box again but had no luck in finding anything useful, "Jeeze, they really don't cater for anything beyond a graze in these things." She complained.

Clark nodded towards Lex's drink collection. "Grab a bottle of whisky."

"I really don't think that now is the time for drinking!" The reporter's smile told Clark she was teasing him, and while he gently undid the belt he'd placed on Lex's thigh earlier, Chloe grabbed an expensive decanter filled with bourbon to use to clean the wound. It reminded her of a scene from some old western, except she was not looking forward to the next part where it got a little gory. "Are you sure we can do this?" She asked puckering her nose.

"We have to, Chloe." Clark carefully eased away the tissue dressing he had made and hoped the movement didn't start anymore bleeding. Luckily, it didn't.

He took a breath and then handed Chloe her purse. It was strange, but he just didn't feel right rifling through her things to find the emergency sewing kit. Chloe took the bag and quickly pulled out a small plastic box that she took with her in case she tore a skirt or worse on her often energetic travels. _I'll never forget that time I tore my blouse in Metropolis…_She shook away the image in her head and put the thread through the eye of the needle. Then, she passed it back over to Clark who suddenly looked horrified.

"Well, you don't expect me to do it, do you? You're the one who lives on a farm. Surely you've helped your dad do these kinds of things with the animals?"

Clark grimaced, "No, Chloe, dad calls a vet!" He glanced at the slice wound and was sure his hand was shaking at the very thought. _What if Lex wakes up? What if it doesn't work? Maybe I should try my heat vision to seal it…_The expression of sheer terror on his face as his eyes widened must have been too much for Chloe to bear.

The young blonde grabbed the needle back and took a deep breath. "Don't ever say I don't do anything for you again, Clark! Now pour on the whiskey and let's make this quick before we both pass out!"

Clark didn't need telling twice.

Fifteen minutes later the unpleasant job was done and Chloe was in the bathroom washing her hands. Clark had yet to move from Lex's side. It didn't seem right somehow that his friend hadn't even murmured while Chloe had worked on him; and Clark hated to admit it, but Chloe was no seamstress. _I just better not ever tell her that and expect to live the day through… _

As he smiled to himself, Lex groaned and winced at the same time. Clark held a hand on the millionaire's chest in case he attempted to sit up, but he didn't. Instead, Lex managed to turn his head and squint at his young friend through half closed eyes.

"We made it back to the jet?" Lex blinked, and his vision focused on Chloe returning from cleaning up. "What happened after I blacked out?"

Clark looked almost apologetic as he explained what they'd had to try and do. "You were bleeding pretty badly, and we couldn't exactly take you to a hospital. Chloe had to fix up your leg."

"Sew up your leg," The blonde corrected, "And I think it's safe to say I just found out I'm not destined for a medical career when we get back." She offered Lex a drink of water and he gratefully took it after Clark had helped prop his seat into a more upright position again.

Lex glanced tiredly and somewhat warily at Clark as Chloe mentioned getting home, "I take it you haven't had chance to tell Chloe what my dad's up too in this world yet?"

Chloe's eyes narrowed. She had been around long enough to know that the way Lex had worded his comment, things weren't looking good.

Clark exhaled as he looked to Chloe. "We have less than two days to get the plane airworthy and a temporary runway made or we're probably stuck here," he turned to Lex, "But my double in this time has promised to help. In fact, he's gone for supplies right now."

Lex took a gulp of water and found he couldn't keep his head from sagging back onto his seat's headrest. He'd only ever felt this tired on a couple of occasions in the past, and neither experience had been a pleasant one. _At least when I was poisoned I knew I had a chance of real medical help. _"You don't seem to comprehend the real problem. Even if the Colossal Clark returns with fuel and materials we're still stuck here."

Both Clark and Chloe looked down on him questioningly, but it was Clark who first dared to ask the question, "Why, Lex?"

Lex pinched his nose and sensed his fatigued body wouldn't stay conscious much longer. Through an already throbbing headache he managed to whisper a weary response, "Because I can't fly the plane like this, Clark, and Richard is blind…" He blinked, sensing unnatural perspiration trickling across his creased brow, "We have no pilot…"

TBC...


	10. Chimera Part 10

**Sorry about the wait ,folks, butI was on vacation ;) **

Clark looked to Chloe as Lex finally let his pounding head droop back down. It looked like this time they really were out of options.

"Well don't look at me!" The reporter chided, "I already did my career move of the day!"

"Is there any way you could talk me through it?" Clark waited for Lex's response, dreading what the answer might be. If he didn't attempt the impossible they would be stuck here, but if Lex agreed to talk him through flying the jet then he would have to face the fact that one wrong move could kill everyone onboard.

Lex wasn't too optimistic anyway. "Clark, do you know how many hours of training it takes before you can get a pilot's license? I can't just show you a few buttons to press like they do in the movies. I doubt we'd even be able to get off the ground."

Chloe huffed. "I'm willing to take the chance rather that be stuck in this whacked out world. Seeing a giant Clark might be fun," she grinned, "But meeting myself or your dad? No thanks. Anyway, doesn't this thing have some kind of auto pilot if you could talk Clark through take off?" _If anyone can do this it's Clark. I know he can!_

Lex conceded that it did. "I could tell you how to program the system easily enough, but then there would still be landing…I'm not strong enough to help Clark with the controls, and one wrong move putting the landing gear down and we could stall..."

Clark gulped. Chloe was unwittingly talking him out of trying rather than giving him courage that it was possible. Before he could lose anymore confidence he decided to volunteer for the job once and for all. "Lex, you're a good pilot. If you sit next to me you can easily talk me through everything. I know I want to go home, and if everyone else is willing to give this a shot…"

"Do I get any say in the matter, kiddo?" Richard's gruff voice filled the cabin and he didn't sound happy. "Tell me you're not considering this, Luthor?" His blind eyes darted towards Lex even though they saw nothing, "This kid couldn't fly a kite, he's so green. And even if he was a natural genius born to fly, how the hell is he going to pilot us through the hole between the dimensions and still see to land? Look what flying through that thing got me!"

Lex exhaled. Richard had acted like an ass since their impromptu landing, but he did have a point. The generator's effects could easily blind Clark, and then they would surely crash. The millionaire lay back and exhaled, all his false hope suddenly being deflated. "Richard's right. We shouldn't even be considering this."

"But we are, and I still say we should try. Let's take a vote on it!" Chloe shot Clark a glance that dared him not to vote against her and then she raised a hand, "I say we should try getting out of here and let Clark prove he's capable of driving more than just the Kent tractor."

"Chloe!" Clark wasn't sure he liked the comparison, but he raised a hand too, "I don't think we have anything to lose by trying. I did help Lex land the plane…"

Richard scoffed and would have probably tried slugging some sense into the teen had he not still been taped into his seat. "I vote no, but then I suspect my vote doesn't count." He growled.

"Your vote does count. Even asses have the right to an opinion," Lex was beginning to get annoyed by the pilot and his acerbic tone showed it, "However, I vote with the others. A man shouldn't just rest on his laurels and accept his fate. If anything, coming to Smallville has learned me that." Lex looked to Clark, "Make your temporary runway and repairs, and I'll try and do my best to make a pilot out of you when the time comes."

Clark smiled wanly as Lex drifted off to sleep after his last words. His friend would need to rest up while he and Chloe got to work. _I still don't know if I can do this! Flying was never my idea of a fun career… _

Shortly after Lex had fallen into feverish slumber, Clark got to work on flattening out the earth around the Learjet. With no one to witness his superspeed save Chloe, it didn't take long to get the area looking smoother for take off.

Chloe laughed as Clark used his bare hands to fashion the ground into a runway. "I'll never take your 'farmboy' skills for granted again," she teased.

Clark scowled, but dashed over to her side and wiped some of the dirt from his hand on her cheek, "It's about time you let the inner farmgirl out," He laughed, "I know you want too!"

"Yeah, when hell freezes over!" Chloe sent a punch flying Clark's way and then paused as some noise through the corn caught her attention. She glanced up to see Big Clark drop out of super speed with a grin on his face. "What's so funny?" She quizzed.

"I could um, hear you two bickering a mile away." The tall teen set down an old brown mug full of fuel and then searched under his coat to retrieve a very thin piece of metal.

"If you think she's bad now you should see her in action at the Torch!" Little Clark took the section of metal and carefully laid it down beside the jet. Then, he glanced back up in time to see his larger counterpart stifling a laugh. "Oh, I forgot. You have to put up with her at the school paper too."

This time Chloe did manage a light cuff to her friend's ear. No way was she trying the playful move on the taller version though. "Will you two quit the jovialities and get to work? Or has a girl got to do everything as usual to get any results?"

Little Clark saluted and watched as Chloe stood before the mug pondering how to refuel the plane. Under her breath he could hear her muttering.

"At least the larger version of farm boy is a little more punctual…"

Big Clark heard too and couldn't resist an ear-to-ear smile. "I should be going now," He sighed, "I really want to stay and help with the repairs, but I think I can do more good elsewhere." The teen pulled out a notepad and carefully kneeled so his small friends could see it. "I managed to get in touch with Lex in Metropolis. These are the instructions he gave me. He's been trying to shut down Chimera for week's, and maybe with the overload you arranged he just might be able to do it if I can do as he asks."

"Are you sure you'll be safe?" Chloe gave up on the fuel dilemma and rejoined them, hands on hips. "I mean, surely Lionel's goons are after you by now."

Again, big Clark smiled. "I get the impression you already know I can take care of myself, Chloe." He winked, and Chloe abruptly began to wonder just how many of their conversations he'd been privy to. "I'd like to say I'll catch you later, but in this case I won't. If all goes well you should be home instead." He gave a small wave and then vanished into superspeed, heading back towards Loeb Bridge and Luthorcorp.

"Now what?" Chloe felt like pulling her hair out in exasperation. "Where do we begin with this mess?"

Clark nodded towards the gashes in the jet caused by Richard. "Now we do some welding!"

The teen carefully picked up the fragment of metal and focused his eyes to cut it into sections. With two precise blasts, the piece dropped in two in Clark's hands. To anyone else the pieces would have been far too hot to handle, but to Clark it was no different than handling his mom's red hot baking trays.

Even though Chloe knew about his gifts she still gaped. Clark was indeed a wonder to behold. "Wow, you really are a walking marvel."

Clark wasn't so sure. He checked the holes in the fuselage and tried to guess the size of each patch he would need. Cutting them would simple. Welding them on would be more of an art. "Wait till I've finished before you pile on the praise, okay?" He quipped, searing another small portion of metal into shape and then checking it against the nearest gouge.

The fragment appeared to be just the right size, but was flat whereas the Learjet's frame was not. Clark squinted and blasted the metal again. This time using only enough intensity to heat the metal not cut it. Once it was slightly more pliable, he used his strength to remould the segment into practically the exact contours of the fuselage.

"I don't suppose you ever considered a career at Boeing?" Chloe was totally at ease now with his secret, and Clark seemed to have accepted her knowledge without much difficulty. "You certainly have more skill with airplanes than I do at nursing."

Clark remained silent. He was now x-raying the jet to make sure his heat vision didn't damage anything inside when he tried to 'weld' on the patches. Concentration lines formed on his face as he attempted to spot any possible dangers. Once he was sure everything was clear he placed the patch over the hole and poured on the heat.

At first the teen wavered, feeling sure his fiery beams of energy were too intense, but as he moved further down the patch and the metal began to cool he could see things were looking good.

Chloe applauded. "One down, five to go!" She cheered. "Go Clark!"

Clark nodded but wasn't quite so impressed with his own work, "Please, no more 'cheerleader Chloe,'" He grinned, "I had enough of her when you drank that potion and got devoted to me." He ducked a third punch of the day, "Can you go inside and try and find something to transfer the fuel with? I didn't think before…" He admitted more seriously.

Chloe suspected she was being sent away before she had chance to throw anymore punches, but conceded they may have hit another problem if they couldn't get the liquid out of the mug and into the tanks. "More rummaging through useless items in the hold." She groaned, "I don't suppose Lex will have any piping in with his golf clubs…"

By nightfall Clark had welded all the patches successfully in place and was half believing their version of 'Flight of the Phoenix' might actually work. All that remained now was getting the front wheel fixed and the fuel on board. Lex had suggested they leave the fuel until last in case of any mishaps, and everyone had agreed with his logic- even Richard.

What Clark and Chloe had withheld from the two injured men was exactly how they were going to move the fuel. So far, the best they had come up with was Clark searing off an existing section of pipe to use as a filler, and an empty Tynant bottle to do the moving. Of course it sounded impossible, but at superspeed Clark could make many trips in a second with the water bottle filled with gas.

_How the heck do I tell Lex I've done all this if he asks? _The teen rubbed a hand ruefully through his hair in contemplation and then glanced down at the front wheel. It was the last job before refuelling and spinning the jet around out of the rut it was in.

The wheel had totally collapsed under the plane, letting the conical nose eat dirt. Clark x-rayed through the fuselage to see the metal undercarriage had snapped under the strain of impact. It was more welding, and a little weight lifting.

With a sigh, he carefully took hold of the nose and pushed upwards until the aircraft levelled out. Keeping it in position with one hand, Clark grabbed the broken section of metal that had the wheel attached and stared at it. "How do I support the plane and hold this in place underneath while I weld it?" He muttered uncertainly.

"I could always help?" Chloe offered to take the undercarriage segment from Clark and almost dropped to the floor when he let her take a little of its weight. "Whoa, maybe not…"

"Think I can superspeed it under, weld it, and be back out before the plane drops?" Clark's cheeky grin appeared and Chloe knew he was teasing.

She faked having to think about it, and looked up to the moonlit sky before replying, "Well, from what I've seen in the past I guess so…" She watched as a blue streak of color zipped under the plane, and for a split second the Learjet appeared to bounce in midair. The next minute Clark was at her side with yet more grease on his hands from the landing gear. "Don't you dare, farmboy!" She pulled back at the thought of him smearing the grunge on her, "One of these days I'm going to actually get you to tell me all about your gifts instead of just witnessing them!"

The now infamous sheepish expression appeared and Clark picked up a piece of cloth to wipe the dirt from his hands. He knew Chloe wanted more of an explanation about his gifts, and he still didn't know where to start. In the end, he chose to step around the subject again until they got home. _If we get home…_He thought negatively. "There's nothing more to tell, Chloe…"

Chloe sensed his apprehension and wrapped an arm around his. "Come on, let's go get the fuel. Then all we have to do is drag the plane around tomorrow, right?"

Clark inhaled, thankful that Chloe was perceptive enough to pick up on his unease and to change the subject. He tossed the cloth down again and kicked into superspeed, returning with the empty water bottle in hand. "I'll never look at Tynant in quite the same way again," He quipped as he rolled the glass container around in his palm.

"Yeah, well I'll never look at a needle and thread again, period!" Chloe took a last look at the newly repaired undercarriage and then headed for the old brown mug.

There was little she could really do while Clark transferred the fuel, but being close while he finished the task somehow made her feel more useful. Soon, they would learn if all the hard work had paid off.

Chloe watched the morning sun rise from the Learjet hatch and wondered if it would be her last view of it as a little person. Today was the day Clark got to show off his flying skills- or lack of them, and even though he was special, Chloe knew it wasn't going to be easy for him.

As always, she wanted to try and be supportive, but in less than an hour they would need to be readying for take off.

"Something got you worried?" Clark walked up behind the Torch reporter and shot her a pensive glance. He knew full well what was on Chloe's mind. The same thing had robbed him of any kind of sleep all night.

Chloe tried not to let her apprehension show and tossed Clark a piece of muffin she'd originally picked up for herself, "Nah, I was just enjoying the last giant sunrise before I get home. Now eat your breakfast, Lindbergh!"

Somehow Clark didn't feel hungry, but he took the segment of succulent cake anyway. "How's Lex?" He asked worriedly.

Chloe didn't answer right away. Ever since Clark had gotten him back to the jet, Lex had been in and out of consciousness. He was running a fever- probably from an infection in his leg. "He was burning up in the night." She finally admitted, "Do you think he'll still be able to guide you?"

"Just get me into the co-pilot's seat and I'll do the rest." Lex's ever serious voice wafted from inside the cabin and both teen's turned to see the entrepreneur sitting up on his elbows. Perspiration filled his brow and his complexion looked flushed, but he was at least coherent.

Clark checked his watch. "How much time do we need to reach the co-ordinates where the generator will fire?"

Lex tried to rub sweat from his eyes, but struggled until Chloe took a cloth and gave him a hand to sit up. "We need to get moving now, Clark. If we're early we can always circle until Dvorkin fires Chimera. If we're late…"

"If you're too late we all get to crash land back here again." Richard scoffed and Chloe could take his negativity no more.

Lex and Clark watched awestruck as the young blonde grabbed the roll of duck tape and quickly plastered a large piece of it over the grumbling pilot's mouth. She smiled at her handy work and then spun back around to face her two companions. "Well don't just gape at me! Let's get this thing fired up!"

Clark nodded and took one of Lex's arms to help him into the cabin. Chloe took his other arm, and together they virtually carried the millionaire to the co-pilot's seat. He panted from the exertion, but dropped down gratefully when they arrived.

Clark looked to Chloe with a look of dread on his face, but didn't dare tell her how he was feeling. Instead he gestured back to the cabin where Richard was trussed up. "You better buckle up. I'm kind of a learner driver…"

Chloe bit her lip but patted the teen on the shoulder as he helped Lex with his own harness. "You'll do just fine." She winked and then vanished into the rear.

Lex cleared his throat and took his first real glance out of the cockpit. It was only then that he realized just how far the jet had been moved to get it onto the cleared runway. He raised a brow, and looked to his friend questioningly.

Clark waited for the query that would surely come next, but strangely it didn't. Lex either assumed big Clark had helped, or he would have more questions if they made it through the day. "Where do we start?" The teen gulped.

"We fire her up and see just how good our repairs were. I'm still concerned about that fuel line problem we had when we crashed…" Lex let his head drop a second and it was clear he was already struggling. He rubbed the back of his hand across his forehead and then began to weakly toggle switches for the engines ignition systems.

After a heart stopping moment the Learjet's turbines began to hum as they picked up speed. It was music to Clark's ears, because of course he heard every tiny sound it first.

"Now comes the part I need your help with," Lex inhaled and tapped on the throttles. "We need to get the airspeed just right for takeoff, and don't pull her up too fast. We need the right angle of ascent or this won't work." He reeled off a string of number that Clark thought he would never remember once the pressure piled on, but of course he did. Clark had a memory akin to a computer if he utilized it correctly.

Lex watched the teen take in what he was being told and then his voice softened a touch. "There are other things you might need to know, Clark, because I'm not sure I can stay awake the whole trip…"

Clark's eyes widened as he realized the implications. If Lex passed out, he would have sole control of the plane and had no clue how to land it.

Chloe buckled into her seat and suddenly wished she was the one with x-ray vision. She wanted to be up front with Clark to offer her support. And truth be told, if she had to die today, she'd rather it in the lofty teen's company than Richard's.

She shot a glance at the deranged pilot and wondered what he was thinking as the Learjet's engines kicked into life and it began to taxi up the somewhat bumpy airstrip they'd fashioned. _Does he know by some sixth sense whether Clark is making the write moves?_ She reflected. From the look on his face he actually appeared quite terrified. _What's going through his mind?_

Chloe pushed away the negative vibes and stole a glance from her window. From here she could see some of the patches Clark had applied and the true seriousness of their situation slammed home even harder. Then, slowly, the jet began to accelerate until the engines reached the high pitch whine that said they were ready for takeoff. _Make it good, farmboy… _

The blonde closed her eyes and held her breath as she felt the familiar sensation in her stomach as the wheels left the ground. Then, as the jet began to ascend even higher there was the groan as the undercarriage started to retract. A vivid image of the broken front wheel wouldn't leave her mind, and Chloe hated herself for thinking bad thoughts. _What if it won't go down again? What if Clark's weld doesn't hold and it collapses when we try to land?_

She opened her eyes, intent on staying focused, but in the back she felt so useless it was unbearable.

Chloe peered at her safety belt and knew what she had to do. Trying not to fumble too much because her hands were shaking, she unfastened the clip and made her way back towards the cockpit. As she neared the door the plane veered slightly and Chloe was unsure whether they were high enough for turbulence, or if Clark was showing Lex 'how not' to fly a plane. _What if I distract them even more?_

Chloe pushed on regardless of the thought and quietly slid open the door. At the sound of the latch, Clark briefly took his eyes from the multitude of digital controls and glanced at her in uncertainty. "Chloe, Lex passed out after we took off and I can't get the autopilot to set. I'm going to have to fly the plane through the portal…."

For a second, Chloe remained speechless. It wasn't one of her familiar traits though, and her voice soon returned. "Can you do it?" She meekly whispered, as she saw the white wispy edges of a cloud bank as they entered it.

Clark watched the cloud bank too. The whole cotton wool type appearance mesmerized him as he recalled the time he had flown unaided through similar clouds. _If I could do it then, I can do it now… _

"Lex showed me the basics before he lost consciousness, and we really don't have time to mull it over." As he spoke, he eased the yoke to his left a little too fast and the Learjet began to veer. He corrected almost immediately and then checked his instruments, "The generator should be fired in less than a minute. Go get in the back, Chloe. Anyone up here with there eyes open might not like the consequences."

Chloe didn't budge. She held tightly to the doorframe as Clark one again corrected his course. "How do you know you'll be impervious to the effects of this thing?" She'd seen Clark blind once before, so she knew it was somehow possible.

Clark had no answer. Lionel was notorious for researching with meteor rocks, and there was no proof Chimera wasn't another such experiment. If so, Clark could be in as much danger from it as the others- maybe even more so. It wasn't something he wanted Chloe dwelling on however. "My abilities will protect me! Now get in the back before it's too late!" _If I am blinded, we're all dead… _

_TBC..._


	11. Cimera Part 11

**_Well, this is it for now, folks ;) _**

Clark reached out to push Chloe back physically when she still didn't budge, but the move came almost too late. Somewhere below, Dvorkin was already firing up the generator, and its effects began to open up an invisible hole in the sky in front of them. With the hole came the same hellish white glare as before.

"No!" Clark screamed as he released the controls and dived in front of Chloe at superspeed, shielding her from the onslaught of brilliantly opaline light that was being emitted from the heavens.

Chloe fell backwards at his touch and instinctively put her forearm across her face. Without a pilot, and trapped once more in a cross dimensional storm, the plane pitched heavily and began to dive to its left. Both teens tumbled into the rear of the cabin with the motion and became a momentary tangle of limbs.

"It's happening again, isn't it? Answer me, dammit!" Richard's veins bulged in his neck as he yelled for some kind of response, but none came. "What's happening?" He yelped more, tugging frantically at his bonds even though he could go nowhere.

"Clark!" This time it was Chloe who was doing the shouting. Somehow, she'd managed to unravel her body from underneath the farmboy's and was now trying desperately to scramble to her feet in the rocking cabin. "Clark, are you alright?" It was a silly question, because from the way he was trying to grab at the nearest seat it was obvious he was not.

"Get me back into the cockpit!" The reply came back more of an order than an answer, and the change in his tone surprised Chloe. She'd never heard such a commanding side to Clark Kent before. Clark was still going to try and fly the plane, no matter what was wrong with him, and that took more than courage, that took a hero- something she knew he'd always be.

Stifling the urge to demand more answers to why he was struggling to get up, Chloe fought the shuddering of the Learjet deck and grabbed Clark's arm, guiding him up and forward. He blinked several times as they scrambled back in the cockpit, confirming her suspicions. "You can't see, can you?"

Clark retook the pilot's seat and rubbed at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "I'm not blind, Chloe, I just can't see clearly. My vision will clear if I give it a moment." _I hope…_

The jet bucked again, and its nose took a decidedly downward turn. Chloe grabbed the back of Lex's seat to stop herself from going headfirst into the instrument panel and then huffed. "In case you hadn't noticed we don't have a moment! Is there anything I can do to help pull this thing up?" Her voice juddered in time with the violent motion of the plane.

Clark took a breath and tried to recall all Lex had taught him in his one and only flying lesson. "Chloe, you have to find the artificial horizon and altimeter and read what they say out loud to me." He retook the yoke in both hands and began to gently pull back. He may not know everything yet, but even through blurred vision he knew they were going down way too fast.

Chloe scoured the array of electronic instruments and realized just what she'd pushed Clark into volunteering for. It took a minute to even locate the correct screens, but when she did, she read back the readings calmly and without panic. _Clark doesn't need a screaming reporter on his hands right now! _

"We're going down too fast, Chloe. I can't lower the undercarriage like this!" Clark didn't mention he couldn't see far enough ahead to pick out anywhere to land anyway. That problem would have to be dealt with later. "When I pull back the throttles I need you to read out the speed as it decreases…" He reached out his right hand and struggled to find the central throttles with his fingers.

"Um, it says 312…and slowing," Chloe bit her lip, hoping her words meant something to Clark, because she had no clue what speed the jet should be going down at. She waited a moment and read out more figures as the digital clock whirled backwards. Eventually, Clark took his hand from the throttles, signalling their speed was somewhat more acceptable, "Can you see yet?" She dared to ask above more howling from Richard.

"I'm getting better, but the flash was like looking at the sun for too long. I have this patch of white haze wherever I look…" He rubbed at his eyes again and they appeared to water a little from the action, "At least I guess this is what it's like to look at the sun for a…for you…" Clark caught his own slip of the tongue. There was no need for Chloe to know his true heritage while they were in this situation.

Chloe took the hint that he couldn't normally have vision problems, but still had no clue that he was an alien. "So, can we put the wheels down now and land this puppy before I go grey?"

"Do you see anywhere we could make a landing yet?" Clark squinted, but beyond the cockpit safety glass was still one big blur. In fact, Chloe's features were so hazy she could be smiling at him and he wouldn't even know it. The only thing he had to be thankful for was that his sight was getting better. He hadn't lied to the reporter on that fact. His days of keeping the truth from Chloe were over once they got home. She deserved that much.

Chloe leaned over, unable to get the best view because the pilot and co-pilots area was pretty cramped. They weren't in a 747 after all. From the window she got a slightly bumpy view of their surroundings. It was hard to tell from the air, but she was pretty sure they were heading towards Smallville and the infamous Crater Lake. "Let's just say we really don't want to belly flop this thing into a meteor infested lake anytime soon. You might want to take her a little further yet…"

Clark flexed his fingers and his grip on the controls tightened. Crater Lake would be like landing in an acid bath if things went wrong. He felt his heart start to race at the thought and he tried to breathe more slowly to calm his nerves_. Not far now. Not far to plenty of wide open fields…_The subconscious chant almost worked until an alarm klaxon began to sound in the cabin.

"Clark, I um, think we have a problem." Even though he couldn't see her expression, Clark could just picture Chloe's face as she glanced at him, "We have a fuel warning light flashing and I don't think we can fill this thing up at Davenport's even if it is just over that ridge!" To convince herself she double checked the digital fuel gauge and immediately wished she hadn't, "The fuel level is going down rapidly!"

An image of the fuel line he'd repaired instantly hit Clark, followed by Lex's comment about being worried about it. They were dumping fuel and in mid air there was no way to stop it. The jet was going down whether they wanted to land yet or not. "Chloe, we have to lower the undercarriage now before it's too late."

Clark struggled again to find the right controls, but now when he squinted things were at least getting back into focus. He flicked the switch for the hydraulics and said a silent prayer that the front wheel followed the rest. His sensitive ears picked up on every slight movement as the three wheels came down, and finally he could rest at the triple thud that confirmed they'd all locked into position.

This time, please do as I ask, Chloe. Go in the back and buckle up." Clark gave the reporter a pleading look and she obeyed. There was little more she could do to help with Lex's prone form taking up the only spare seat.

With a woeful glance back she vanished into the passenger compartment leaving Clark alone. He squeezed both eyes tightly shut and then reopened them while kicking into x-ray mode. The plan worked, and he was able to check Chloe was doing as he asked. Thankfully, she was halfway through strapping herself in and he smiled. _Chloe actually did as I asked her for once! _

Satisfied, Clark turned his attention back to the rapidly approaching cornfield that looked like it was going to be their landing space. _Oh no, not another cornfield! _This time though, at least the sheaves of corn were the right size. _I guess we really made it through the portal! _

Clark shook off his euphoric though and settled back in to the task at hand. The Learjet shook again and suddenly both engines began to sputter and then slow. The fuel was gone. The teen had expected this, but knew that thankfully the plane wouldn't just drop from the air. It would, however be harder to control. _Like I have control anyway!_

Despite several more negative thoughts, Clark kept his mind on the instruments and keeping the plane level. From the feedback through the controls it felt like they were already brushing the tops of the corn with the underbelly. Or was that just his imagination? If he'd had time he could have used his x-ray vision to check, but right now, even through slightly blurry eyes, Clark saw something ahead of the plane as it at last slammed full force into the corn.

Before he could determine what the object was, the whole world seemed to turn upside down. Clark might have many gifts, but surprise was always an element that could even catch him out.

The nose gear had apparently snagged on something below the corn- maybe a rut in the earth. Now, the plane was spinning to the left and its left wingtip was gouging into the field as it bit down hard into the earth.

Clark felt his harness pull tight as he was pitched forward, and then it loosened again as the Learjet finally slowed. Being cautious, Clark quickly shut down everything on board he could find and glanced over to Lex. The billionaire appeared oblivious to what had happened and still lay unconscious in his seat. Clark wasn't sure that was a good sign, but now that they were back, Smallville Medical Center was only a short distance away. _He should be okay… _

The teen quickly unbuckled his harness and scrambled through the door to check on Chloe. The blonde was already up out of her seat and racing towards him as he smiled at her.

"You did it! I knew you could! And just look at the size of those corn stalks!" Chloe bounded into his arms and squeezed hard, "I'll never call corn that size again!" Chloe carried on babbling for another minute before she took a breath, stood back and inhaled.

"I should run and call for help." Clark headed for the door, thinking he could kick into superspeed and reach the nearest phone in seconds, "Lex doesn't look so good…" He grabbed the emergency release lever and pushed hard until the door hissed open.

"Maybe we should get the others outside first?" Chloe grimaced. She was not looking forward to being left alone with Richard and an unconscious Lex again. "What if the plane catches fire or something?"

Clark pulled a face that clearly said, 'Oh come on Chloe, you know better,' but replied anyway. "What is there to catch fire? We lost all the fuel!" He hopped outside and finally noticed the thing that they had hit as he had come in to land.

It was strewn to the side of the jet with a piece torn from the far corner, but even with its front facing the earth Clark knew what it was. The shape and size was unmistakable. It was poetic really, but he had slammed the Learjet straight into the 'Welcome to Smallville' sign. Chloe followed his gaze and jumped out to join him.

"Wow! You really know where to land, farm boy!" She walked up to the broken sign and had the urge to turn it over and set it straight, even though she wasn't strong enough. It was like they had disturbed something precious after being away from Smallville and home.

Clark guessed what was on Chloe's mind and kneeled, grabbing the outer edge of the wood and flipping it over to the colourful, painted side. He'd seen the thing so many times, and until today its message of 'meteor capital of the world,' had always brought about a pang of guilt. Now, he was so glad to be back even that message was comforting- or at least it should have been.

Both Clark and Chloe took a step back in the trampled corn as they read the message on the board. At first glance it looked the same as ever, but then the words and picture hit home. _'Welcome to Smallville, Kansas. Creamed Corn Capital of the World.' _

Chloe's lip quivered. She'd seen the old style board on archive photos at the Torch, and that could only mean one thing- well maybe two.

Clark's thoughts matched the young blonde's. "Chloe…" He backed up another step and took her tiny hand, unable to accept what his now improved eyesight was telling him. "Chloe, we're not home…"

The End…for now.


End file.
